Eternity Of Darkness
by JessieRose
Summary: Annamaria, a twelve year old girl, struggling to cope with her tyrannical father, and the loss of her guardian angel. What happens when Jack Sparrow appears in her life? When he steals from the church, she's caught up in the middle of it...
1. Chapter One

A/N I have read a few Annamaria fics, so I decided to have a go at one of my own. Very dark, I almost cried whilst I was writing this!! Anyway please review and tell me what you think, constructive criticism welcome.  
  
A/N 2 Okay so it's a very short chapter, call it more an introduction!! I'll continue if you guys think I should!!  
  
Eternity Of Darkness  
  
Chapter One.  
  
The twelve year old sat alone on the pier, swinging her legs out to sea. The tears filled her eyes, as the sun glared off the ocean. But it was not the bright glare that made her eyes weep salty water, far from it. Her heart pounded in her young chest, and every beat she felt it thump.  
  
The chatter of voices gave her the only comfort, as she sat washing the fishermen and navy officers running about their everyday business. The twelve year old envied them, they didn't know what it was like to hurt.  
  
Her black hair was scooped up on her hand, with tiny strands having broken free and running down her grubby face. She wiped away her tears, smearing her face. And sniffed the pain back inside. She couldn't show a weakness, she couldn't back down.  
  
As night began to fall, she shivered. The cold was coming, the wind from the sea ripped at her bare arms, and her pearly teeth chattered.  
  
She would have to go home, before they started to look for her. She shook at the thought of them searching for her. She gave a hollow laugh at the home. True, home it had once been. But no longer. Home was a place where one felt safe from the harms and wickedness that fills our world, home is place where love resides. But the girl shook her tired head, as she clambered up. It wasn't home anymore, it had long ceased to deserve that name.  
  
She walked slowly down the cobbled streets, dodging the drunks that poured from one pub, only to enter another. She sidled clear of the women of the night, as they flaunted their bodies for sale.  
  
Eventually she reached the house, she pushed open the door, and stepped into the dark, forbidding corridor. The blackness pressed down on her, and she struggled to breath as the darkness stole away her spirit.  
  
She gasped for breathe as she stood, her eyes pressed tightly shut in the hall of nightmares. Gradually she calmed down, and had the courage to open her eyes. She turned the corner and enter the dimly lit living room.  
  
On the table sat an elegant wooden coffin, with a wreath of flowers perched precariously on top. She screamed, with pain. She knelt down beside the wooden box, and stroked its sides, her tears falling like a waterfall sprung from her eyes. Her hands caressed the wood, in a loving fashion, as the child desperately tried to control her tears.  
  
Her mother had been such a beautiful, lively creature, the guardian angel, protectress, in a hell filled world. The only ray of light, in an eternity of darkness. A light that had been cruelly turned out.  
  
The girl sobbed, silently to herself.  
  
A hand fell on her shoulder, and she gasped with fear. The icy grip, the dark enveloping her once more.  
  
"Annamaria." Came the dark voice.  
  
Her heart sank, as her hand fell from the coffin. 


	2. Chapter Two

A/N Okay, very angst chapter. . .well I think so anyway. . . I could be wrong. . .  
  
To My reviewers: -  
  
RinaSparrow ~ Hey, I'm really glad you liked my first chapter, it gets kinda dark now!! I hope my second chapter is just as good. Thanks for your review.  
  
JeanieBeanie33 - Thanks for all your reviews!! They are dead encouraging!! ^_^  
  
Eternity of Darkness.  
  
Chapter Two.  
  
Harriet was born into a refined family. Her parents were proud, up standing members of society. But with her first gasp of air, her first crying gush, it was clear she did not belong. Harriet adored freedom, she could not be tied down, by emotional barriers such as responsibilities, or physical ones such as the restricting air of a corset. It just wasn't her. It wasn't who she was born to be.  
  
Her parents had a large house, and big fortune to match, they had never been short of money, and were respected in their part of the Caribbean. Everyone who was anyone had heard of the Darlingtons. Harriet Darlington was a pretty girl, her dark skin, and jet black hair added to the mystery of her character, her eyes had many depths and it was hard to define their colour, so she stopped trying. She was pretty, and she knew it. She insisted on Mary, her maid, brushing her hair, until it shone every day. She was vain, and arrogant liking nothing more then spending hours in front of the mirror. She loved herself. It was a pity she did not extend this adoration to the parents who had made her.  
  
But her parents were not worthy of such attentions. They had produced a daughter because they believe it their duty to have an heir. When she was born a girl, Harriet had been a disappointment, and generally when one is born a disappointment, they die a disappointment.  
  
The Darlingtons they went on to try for another child. The striving to have a boy, became an obsession with both of them. Mrs Darlington suffered two miscarriages, and another disappointing girl before she finally had her son.  
  
Roberto was a weak child, his lungs were small, and his cry faint, but to them he was perfect. And to Harriet too. Now she was no longer the heir to the Darlington fortune, she could go out and enjoy herself without her parents watching her every move.  
  
And then that was when she became pregnant. Her parents were appalled and Harriet was thrown from the house. She spent nights crying herself to sleep in the grotty dirty beds of pubs and inns. Very often she had to share her bed with a man to afford the rent, she despised herself for it. Surely this was not how her life was supposed to be?  
  
And then she met Tobias Richards. He was a charming gentleman, at first. He took pity on the pregnant child, and allowed her to stay with him. It wasn't long before they became lovers, and Tobias managed to slip a ring onto her finger.  
  
Harriet did not love him, or particularly like him, he had a sudden red hot temper, which would flare up quite unexpectedly, he was bitter, and angry against the world, and demanded things she could not give him. But she had no choice, if she said no, she would have to leave. Her hand went to the bump growing inside her, she had to do it for her baby.  
  
They were married quickly, Tobias wasted no time marking his territory.  
  
"As soon as your bastard is born, we shall have a baby of our own." He told her.  
  
She felt appalled at his intimate touch, she tried to stop the repulsion showing on her face. "Do not call my child a bastard." She said, pointedly.  
  
Tobias frowned at her. "It is a bastard, and not welcome in my household, but I put up with it, for you." He said, with a cruel smile.  
  
She turned away, and sighed heavily. She desperately hoped for a girl, a boy might upset Tobias even more. "Please God, let it be a girl." She muttered to herself.  
  
Soon enough the baby was born, and Harriet had her wish. It was a girl. A healthy girl. Tobias was all for drowning her in the sea, but Harriet guarded her baby with such alacrity and enthusiasm that he hardly saw either of them.  
  
Harriet had never been one for strong affections, she hadn't cared about her parents, even now only seven months since she had left home, she had difficulty recalling her mother's face. No, there had never been any love lost between her and her parents, that much was clear. And all the men she had shared her body with, shared her bed with, they had been passing fancies, paying customers, nothing she cared to remember. And now her husband, Tobias Richards, a cold man, so cold icicles formed when he smiled. She cared not for her temperamental husband.  
  
But her daughter was different, she loved everything about little Annamaria. From her rather oval face, to her wispy tufts of hair, and button nose. She decided to dedicate her worthless life to giving Annamaria everything she had never had. And as she sat there in the nursery, swinging gently on the rocking chair, with baby Anna sleeping in her arms, she wondered to herself. How could a mother possibly hurt her child? How could she throw her out into the cold, with nowhere to go? Harriet shuddered as memories of the dark grimy, back rooms of the pubs flashed before her eyes. She had never felt so unclean, so much like filth. And it was her mother who had done that to her, her parents had let that happened.  
  
They sat at home in their warm mansion, cuddling over Roberto, blocking out Samara, their other unwanted girl, whilst their eldest child was confronted with such horrors, as she tried desperately to save her baby's life.  
  
"I'll never leave you." She muttered, kissing her daughter's head. "No matter what you did, or said, or think, I'd never abandon you." She rocked to and fro on the chair for a few more minutes, before placing her precious child into bed. "Sweet dreams."  
  
But Harriet did not have such good fortune. Her nightmares were visited by the brutish male clients, grabbing her, whilst her doting parents fondled their son. She woke up in a cold sweat, and gasped to see Tobias beside her. 


	3. Chapter Three

A/N Okay, before I begin, I think this chapter needs an introduction. Now in this chapter I talk briefly about the French revolution, nothing major I just mention it, 'cause it fits in well with the plot. I am not sure that the film and the revolution in France happened at the same time. I always thought the film was set maybe in the 1700s? I don't know. And the revolution occurred late 1700s, right? So anyway for the point of this chapter, let's just pretend that they happened at the same time, savvy? Good.  
  
A/N2 and a massive thanks to my reviewers!! ^_^  
  
Chapter Three.  
  
And Harriet kept true to her word. She was not a reliant person, never had been, and it would have been impossible to change now. Well, almost impossible. But Harriet managed it. She had never been one to be tied down, she fought against convention, constriction, her parents unfair rules, rebelled against her governess, she would fight to the bitter end to escape her 'prison'.  
  
And can you imagine a bigger prison then the one she now found herself in? Marriage. The shackles of motherhood, and faithful wife twisted painfully around her ankles, squeezing the very breath out of her lungs. Normally she would have fought tooth and nail to free herself of these shackles, and, normally, she would have succeeded.  
  
But one look at the face of her innocent, baby daughter was enough to make her stop fighting. No longer was the thrill, the need to escape so strong. She felt she could handle anything now that she had her little girl.  
  
Annamaria grew up, thriving on the love of her doting mother. It's amazing how the love of a mother can make up for the lack of a father. Annamaria had never had one of those, nor did she desire one. Her meetings with Tobias were short and infrequent, very forced politeness on bother sides, though each knew the other despised them.  
  
So even though her mother gave Annamaria love, the child found herself avoiding the house. Harriet declined in her absence, and fell back to her old ways. Of course, she could never meet another man she loved as much as little Anna's father. But she could try.  
  
Annamaria was a love child, from the first moment when she heard that expression it enchanted her mind, filling it with wonder and tragedy. The stories that weaved in her dreams were of true love between her parents, destroyed by the evil ogre, in the form of Tobias.  
  
So as soon as she was old enough, she escaped the house. They lived in a large port side town, and even though it was called 'port-side' Annamaria found herself over a mile away from the sea. Besides Tobias would tell her stories of pirates who kidnapped children, mainly girls and sold them into prostitution. Harriet allowed the stories, better scared then dead, she thought.  
  
Therefore Annamaria had no wish to meet a pirate, or see the sea, she was happy roving the near by town, and woodlands. She had friends, but none she felt she could rely on, or confide in. And besides they all had their own problems. No one was free of hardship in these dark days. The Caribbean sun shone high above them, lighting up the days, but not quite reaching their spirits. These were the days of depression, her mother told her.  
  
"It's when the poor are very poor, and the rich are very rich." Annamaria told the others.  
  
The word 'France' was on everyone's lips, well the men's, the naval officers, it seemed all they could talk about. Little Annamaria didn't even know where France was. Only that it was a country suffering, the peasants were starving, whilst the rich struggled through the food mountains.  
  
"That's not fair." Annamaria said to her mother.  
  
Harriet shook her head. "Life ain't fair, doll."  
  
Harriet often called her doll, she said it was from when Annamaria was a baby. "You would sleep at night and look like you were made from porcelain." She told her.  
  
To which Tobias would chuckle, and reply, "You were beautiful as a baby, what happened?"  
  
"Ignore him, jealousy is a terrible sin." Harriet said.  
  
"So is prostitution, and adultery." He snarled.  
  
Harriet blushed.  
  
Annamaria sensed her mother's anger, and didn't press the matter. But the next day she asked the 'others' what both words meant.  
  
And those were the days of innocence, playing with her friends, trekking to the beach on the odd month, but mainly sticking closer to home. Home, a four letter word. Four letters with such intense meaning. Home was a place where one felt secure, happy, to be with one's family, yes that was to be home.  
  
"You don't do badly." Harriet reminded her one night, as she tucked her in. "None of us do, and for that we must thank the Lord. There are loads suffering far more then us."  
  
"In France?"  
  
"Well, yes in France, but I was talking about a little nearer to home." She kissed her daughter on the forehead. "You know, if it wasn't for you I would have packed my bags and left a long time ago." She wiped the hair from her face.  
  
Annamaria gripped her head.  
  
"Don't be silly, I'd never leave you."  
  
"Promise?"  
  
Harriet nodded. "Promise."  
  
But such is the nature of a promise that it is hard to keep. A promise like the one Harriet Richards made to her daughter, are especially hard to keep. And Harriet was no exception.  
  
Annamaria lay warm in her bed that night, but millions shivered against the cold biting wind. Her young mind rested, oblivious to all the pain and hardship in the world, little did she know it was about to come down, crashing on top of her.  
  
A/N Okay, bit of a slow chapter, the next one will get moving. Enjoy. ^_^ 


	4. Chapter Four

A/N Thanks for all the feedback on this. Hope you like the next chapter. And happy new year!! *grumbles* hope 2004 is better then 2003!  
  
Chapter Four.  
  
Annamaria noticed quickly the amnesty that existed between her parents. It was clear cut, and there for the simplest person to see. She hated the raised voices, her father shaking his hands, his fists. Her mother defending herself, and little Anna of course. So she escaped from the house that fateful Sunday morning.  
  
She hung around with her friends, generally making a nuisance of themselves in the town, being shooed from the bakery where they stole some cakes. Annamaria bit into hers, but as she swallowed the cake, she stopped and watched the others eating hungrily.  
  
"Mama says they are rioting in France 'cause they don't have enough bread. Imagine not having enough of the most simplest thing." She said. She was thoughtful for a twelve year old, and the others scorned her.  
  
"Look Anna, France is a long way away, and we have our own problems 'ere. Why worry bout something that's ne'er gonna effect you?"  
  
So Annamaria ate with the others, and put the starving people of France to the back of her mind. True, it didn't directly effect her, but it seemed to bother her mother. France was where Samara was, she had gone to finishing school there, and for months they had received no letters, or word of her. Harriet was scared that Samara had fallen victim to the blood thirsty mob.  
  
She went back, and her parents were still arguing. She was about to troop up to her room, when the raised voices caught her ears, and she stopped to listen.  
  
"And with an extra mouth to feed, no wonder we're struggling. . ." Tobias yelled.  
  
"What do you mean an extra mouth? Annamaria has been here for twelve years, almost as long as me, you cannot call her an extra mouth!" Harriet screeched.  
  
"She's just your bastard, not my daughter. I won't have nothing to do with her."  
  
"You know what Tobias, I'm glad she isn't yours, I mean imagine growing up with a father like you!" Harriet said.  
  
Tobias was the one who paid for her schooling, her food, her clothes, the one who supported her mother and gave them beds to sleep in, a roof to live under, but he was not her father. She had known that, Harriet had told her. She was a love child. She sighed, and left. She couldn't stand the shouting, the arguing all over her.  
  
There was a crash, and her mother's bewitching scream, the sound of a hard fist against soft skin, the sound of fighting.  
  
"You couldn't even give me my own child!" He yelled, as she carefully closed the front door behind her.  
  
Tears were running down her face, and that afternoon she avoided the others.  
  
Night began to fall on the tear stained girl, the moon was high in the dark evening sky, the stars were scattered, giving off their feeble light as they burned millions of miles away. She stared up at them wistfully, holding out her hand in an attempt to touch one. She could almost lose herself, something she had never managed, in the speckly distance. She sniffed, and pushed herself up from the ground, she'd have to go home, or there would be trouble.  
  
She walked slowly, dragging her feet as they took her closer and closer, hardly managing to bear her weight. She got to the front door and pushed it open, stepping into the dimly lit hallway, then stopped and waited. She was waiting for Harriet's concerned 'where have you been?', or 'is that you Anna?'.  
  
She heard neither, she was greeted by silence. "Mama?" She shouted to the silent house. She got no reply.  
  
And now fear was setting in, she ran through the house, through every room, shouting for Harriet, as the tears ran down her face. And then into the study, she stopped dead, in absolute horror. Her father stood beside a doctor, wearing a black suit, both had grim expressions on their face.  
  
"And this is my daughter, Annamaria."  
  
"Ah, the poor child." The doctor walked from the room, he put his hand on her shoulder for a brief second, squeezed it comfortingly and left.  
  
"What's going on?" Annamaria demanded. "Where's Mama?"  
  
He half smiled at her, but dropped it at once. "Annamaria, your mother is dead."  
  
How he could say it, so calmly, so unattached, she couldn't understand. It was like he was the doctor, and he was telling her, like he hadn't known her. She gasped, her world was collapsing. Harriet was the foundations of the earth, with her gone, it couldn't function, it couldn't work.  
  
She shook her head violently. "NO! No, I don't believe you! I don't believe you! No, you can't take her away from me, you can't." She screamed through gritted angry teeth. She began pummelling him, with her soft fists. He grabbed her arms. "She's with the Lord now."  
  
And now he was the reverend committing her body to the ground,. he was everyone but Tobias, everyone but her husband.  
  
"What have you done with her? Where is she?"  
  
He held firmly to her arms, so her constant struggling was futile. He grimaced. "She was dying, Anna. Dying, and she didn't tell us."  
  
Annamaria shook her head. "No! NO!" She said, almost pleadingly. "Where is she?"  
  
"She's upstairs, in the blue room."  
  
Without another word, Annamaria struggled free, she raced up the stairs, and threw open the door.  
  
Her mother was lying peacefully in the bed, her arms were cold to touch, and her face pale.  
  
Annamaria shook her head, helplessly. She screamed as a hand touched her shoulder.  
  
"She died of a morphine overdose, she killed herself."  
  
If Annamaria had been hurting, that last remark was like a dagger in her heart. She choked back the anger and the pain.  
  
"She didn't kill herself. . ." She spluttered. "I heard you. . .arguing. . .hitting her. . .you killed her. . .you killed her. . ." She cried, the tears flowing down her cheeks, blurring her vision. She kissed Harriet on the cheek. "She'd never leave me." She muttered to herself.  
  
"Annamaria. . ."Tobias began. But stopped, without another word, he turned from the room, and shut the door on his dead wife.  
  
Annamaria sobbed through the night, lying beside her mother in the death room. 


	5. Chapter Five

Thanks to my reviewers. Here's the next chapter!! ^_^  
  
Chapter Five  
  
The next morning Annamaria woke up, she was alone in the death room. She jumped up, almost forgetting where she was, and why she was in this room. Her eyes were blurry, but she fought back the tears. Somehow crying wasn't going to help, it wasn't going to make things better. All it would do was dull her wits, and she needed all of them.  
  
She got up, walked to the door, took one last look at the room, before turning and leaving. She turned the key in the lock, and pocketed. No one would go in the room again.  
  
She walked downstairs. There was Tobias sitting in his chair, reading the Bible. He never usually read it during the day, it was his night time occupation. But today, he was sitting reading his black Bible, at ten o'clock in the morning. Annamaria tried not to look at him, and he did not say a single word to her.  
  
And then she saw it, the coffin. She ran to the side, and started stroking the wood, feebly, sniffing back the pain.  
  
"Repenting your sins?" The girl demanded.  
  
He looked up. "Remorse will not being her back."  
  
Annamaria stood up. "You just lost your place in heaven." She said.  
  
He grinned. "My place in heaven is assured." He lay the Bible down on the top of the coffin. "However Harriet's is not. We must prayer for her soul."  
  
"You should prayer for your own, you need help more then she does." Annamaria replied. And with that she left the room.  
  
"Your mother was a filthy, vulgar woman, may she find solace in hell, with the rest of her kind."  
  
Annamaria gasped, each word was like a dagger sticking into her heart. She reached for the door handle.  
  
She stormed from the house, slamming the door behind her. She ran. She ran and ran, without once looking back. She ran all the way to the sea.  
  
There was something about the blue lapping waves, that freed her soul. Watching them she could lose herself completely. The smell of the salt reached her nose, and she wrinkled it with delight, it was a smell she would come to love.  
  
Her mother's form sailed in front of her eyes, and she smiled. She dipped her feet into the warm water, and gently wiggled her toes. And there she sat all day, on the edge of the pier. Listening to the gentle rumble of arguing voices, the harbour master gleefully collecting his fee of a shilling, the navy officers as they greeted their families. She watched the fisherman, as they brought in their haul, and praised God for the good catch. She watched two men argue over a broken lobster cage, and an old hag offering to mend it for sixpence.  
  
Her eyes watered from the glint of the sun as it shone mercilessly on the water. She held up her hand to shield her eyes.  
  
"You okay, lass?" One of the fisherman asked, as he paced the pier.  
  
She nodded. "I'm just waiting."  
  
He stared at her for a few moment, before leaving her.  
  
Night began to fall, and the fisherman packed away for the day. The harbourmaster was fast asleep in his hut, leaving his apprentice on guard. The old hag mending the lobster cage, had ran of with it and the sixpence. The harbour began to clear, and soon Annamaria was on her own.  
  
Her blurred eyes stared out to the horizon. A distant line, unclear, smudged between the sea and the sky.  
  
She reached out her hand, and tried to grab it. Eventually the night began to take hold. She pushed herself up, and started to walk home. She walked slowly, avoiding the notorious ladies of the nights, and their suspicious looking clients. The drunks from the pub were brawling over nothing in particular, as the twelve year old wondered the streets. It wasn't the place for a little girl.  
  
She got in, and felt her walls, brushing along as she walked down the dim hallway. She went into the front room, and there was the coffin. She collapsed by it's side, and kissed the wood.  
  
"You promised you wouldn't go. You said you'd never leave me." She muttered, tearfully. "You promised." She said, pitifully.  
  
Silence prevailed in the room. Her mother gave no answer.  
  
"Annamaria." The cold, grasping hand touched her shoulder.  
  
The candle light had been blown out, the eternity of darkness had begun. 


	6. Chapter Six

A/N Wow!! Thanks for all the nice reviews. Okay next chapter. There is about three lines of French in this, (I'm brave!!). I've put the English in brackets, because I'm not very good with Frence!! But it was necessary. Anyway please review and tell me what you think! ^_^  
  
Chapter Six.  
  
Tobias was a man of little virtues. His parents had let him live wild, no boundaries, no rules had been set with their adorable Toby. And as a child he got into a lot of scraps, some of them innocent, others worthy of damnation. He was just your average tearaway kid, fighting against morals, rebelling against the rules. Only he didn't have any to rebel against. He set fire to houses, watching them as they burnt, shot birds with his gun, and pulled the legs of spiders, the normal childish pursuits.  
  
But he did them because he was evil, not because he was a child.  
  
So here was poor Annamaria, a grieving twelve year old, suddenly alone in the World. Well, not quite alone, she had Tobias. But in some respects that was even worse.  
  
The funeral was a private affair. Just Tobias, Annamaria, the priest, and the coffin. There was a gaping hole in the ground, and the twelve year old peered into it fearfully. The priest looked at her sympathetically.  
  
"Miss Annamaria, just think she has gone to a better place." The Priest said, laying his old hand on her sobbing shoulder.  
  
Tobias grinned. "A better place?" He sniggered. "When you're dead, you're dead. Swallowed up by the ground."  
  
Annamaria gasped. The priest glared at Tobias. "Sir, your callous attitude is not helping the child."  
  
"And I should care because? She is not my bastard! God knows who her mother shared her bed with."  
  
The priest was so appalled, he covered Annamaria's ears from Tobias Richard's crude comments. Annamaria was so upset she didn't even notice.  
  
Tobias shook his head with a laugh. "Goodbye Harriet, may you burn in hell with your lovers." He said, lavishly as he strolled away. The church bell rang out the hour of twelve o'clock as the rain began to fall. It fell heavily, turning the soft grass to mud. Annamaria shivered, even though it wasn't cold.  
  
After the coffin was lowered, and covered, the Priest left the child standing by the graveside.  
  
She looked around at the shabby stones that surrounded her, all denoting another person's death. A few had flowers on, but many lay forgotten, there inscriptions fading, so now no one knew who lay where. Annamaria's eyes watered at the thought of the ghosts pacing the graveyard at night, just wanting to be remembered. She looked at her mother's stone, it was a elaborate cross, spindling from the ground.  
  
"I won't forget you." She said, determinedly. She didn't even notice as the rain poured down, soaking her clothes and neatly done hair. It didn't matter. Her tears blended with the rain drops as they hit the ground.  
  
"Excuse me, are you Annamaria?" A voice asked.  
  
The girl spun round. Her eyes were greeted by a young lady, about twenty three dressed in Lady's clothes. Her dress was beautifully patterned and layered, but the women it contained was not very attractive. Her features were plain, her face sullen and her eyes dull, Annamaria thought. But then again she was comparing her with the great Harriet, the prettiest women in the world would be ugly compared to Harriet.  
  
The twelve year old nodded, wiping the grubby tears from her cheeks, and pushing the wet hair from her face.  
  
The woman smiled. " I'm Samara Darlington," she said, the tears taking control of her eyes. "I've just got back from France. I only just managed to get out. And when I heard. . ." She broke off. "Mama and Papa haven't even bother to show up."  
  
Annamaria had heard Harriet talk warmly of Samara. They had been close sisters, before Harriet left.  
  
"And Roberto. . .what a waste of space. . ." She looked around confused. "You are on your own?" She said, amazed.  
  
Annamaria nodded again. "Tobias just left."  
  
"Left? It's his wife's funeral!" She exclaimed.  
  
"Harriet wanted you, and you weren't there." The child accused.  
  
"We all made a choice, and you were Harriet's." Samara explained. "How did she. . .how did. . .how did she die?"  
  
Annamaria looked up from the muddy ground. She shrugged. "The doctor said a morphine overdose."  
  
"Suicide?" Samara gasped. "There's no way she'd kill herself."  
  
Annamaria just stared blankly at the woman's face.  
  
"Would she?" Samara muttered to herself.  
  
"Tell me about France." Annamaria said.  
  
Samara smiled. "Oh in France things are hard, very hard. There are peasants on the streets squabbling over a slice of bread, whilst the Queen buys another pearl necklace. Anyone with title or fortune is sent to the guillotine, where they lose their head."  
  
"Harriet thought you were caught up in it."  
  
"I was. We were locked up to be executed, all ships in and out of the country had been stopped. There was no way out. But my friend Armando, he organised an escape. Everyone in the prison managed to get away to a small garrison anchored off shore."  
  
Annamaria stepped closer to Samara.  
  
"Where do you live Annamaria?" She asked the child.  
  
Annamaria responded with a shrug. "At Tobias's house."  
  
"And where does Tobias live? Where is his house?" Samara wheedled. Her voice was soft, gentle, almost loving. But Annamaria just shook her head.  
  
The rain was still falling over the freshly dug grave.  
  
"You should go home." Samara said.  
  
Annamaria shook her head again. "I'm staying here with Harriet."  
  
"You'll catch your death of cold child."  
  
"Then I shall join Harriet."  
  
Samara stepped forward, but as she did so Anna took a step back.  
  
"Please Annamaria, go home." She said, bitterly.  
  
The child shook her head. "Where Harriet is, that's my home." She yelled.  
  
"You cannot live in the graveyard." Samara said.  
  
"That isn't Harriet down there!" Annamaria pointed to the ground.  
  
Samara closed her eyes and let the girl's angry comments wash over her. She kneeled down on the ground, soaking her dress, and covering it with mud. She held out her lace gloved hands, towards the crying child. Annamaria reluctantly took hold of her cold hands. Just as they grasped them, there was a shout from the gates.  
  
"Samara!"  
  
"Annamaria, this is Armando." Samara said, with a smile, releasing the child's hands and standing up. Instead she took hold of the French man's. He kissed her on the cheek.  
  
"êtes-vous prêt?" (Are you ready?) He asked, in his strong French accent.  
  
Annamaria did not understand a word he said. She was confused at the way he held Samara. Tobias and Harriet had never sat next to each other let alone kissed in front of Annamaria.  
  
She nodded. "Oui, juste une dernière chose à faire. (Yes, just one more thing to do)" She turned back to the child. "I'm going now  
  
Annamaria. I only came back to say goodbye Harriet. I escaped from one prison, I shall not return to another. That's what Harriet taught me."  
  
Samara walked up to the grey cross, and kissed the stone tentatively. "Goodbye Harriet, ma soeur. Je ne vous oublierai jamais. Je vivrai la vie où vous n'avez jamais eue." (My sister, I shall never forget you. I will live the life you never had.)  
  
As she walked past Annamaria, she lay her hand on her shoulder for a few seconds before taking Armando's hand.  
  
She turned back and held out her arm. "If you want to come with us, Anna, you can."  
  
The child shook her head and steeped back, almost tripping over a gravestone. To get away from Tobias would have been a dream come true, but she was scared of Armando, scared he would be like Tobias. Scared Samara was not who she seemed, she feared what would happen to Harriet if she left the grave.  
  
Samara nodded, to show she understood. "Remember Anna, Harriet lived for you, do not make her sacrifice worthless." Samara called as she walked out of the black gates. She did not return to the Darlington home, and her parents presumed her dead, killed in the chaos that was France. However they grieved for neither of their daughters. 


	7. Chapter Seven

A/N Thanks for the reviews.  
  
To MickJaggerasFrankandAlice ~ Thanks! Told you my French wasn't very good!  
  
To CaptainJacklova4evea ~ Yeah it was sad. . .*nods* maybe I should write a happier story!! ^_^  
  
Oh by the way the dream should be in italics. . .but it isn't. Hmmm. . .why can't things just work?!  
  
Chapter Seven.  
  
Annamaria watched as Samara walked away from the church. Her brown hair curled beside her ears, the rest scooped up into a bun on her head. Armando had his arm around her, protectively. He looked round furtively, and Annamaria began thinking what a terrible place France must be at the time of crisis.  
  
The twelve year old stooped beside the cross, and fingered the stone. The rain was still falling, chilling her inside. But she could think of nothing but her loss. And there she sat, the day seemed to break free of her grasp and run as fast as it could in the other direction. Night fell heavily on the deserted church, as she sat in it's shadow. The moon lit up the sky for a while, but clouds began to form, slowly blotting it out.  
  
She would have been scared if she hadn't been beside her mother. Eventually she got too tired to sit. She rested her head on the muddy ground, and lay in the rain. The rain froze her insides, but she was numb anyway.  
  
And as she lay her consciousness began to slip away. . .  
  
(italics) "Annamaria! Anna! Come here, I've got something for you!" Harriet called in her soft, caring voice.  
  
A younger Annamaria emerged from outside. Her face was grubby and tearstained. Tiny streaks lined her soft cheeks, mixed with mud where she had tried to wipe them away.  
  
"Anna!" Harriet exclaimed. It hurt her to see Annamaria unhappy.  
  
The eight year old sniffed. "Robert says I canna play 'cause I'm a girl."  
  
"And girls have to stay in doors and do their tapestries and wear pretty dresses, is that it?" Harriet asked.  
  
Annamaria giggled. "Yeah, that's what they think. But just 'cause he is a boy don't make him no better."  
  
"Doesn't make him any better." Barked Tobias. "Honestly child, your grammar is atrocious."  
  
Annamaria stepped closer to Harriet, as the man passed them on the way to his study. As he shut the door behind him, she started sobbing miserably into her mother's shoulder. Harriet grabbed her shoulders and stared into her eyes. "You make all the grammar mistakes you wanna."  
  
Annamaria smiled slightly, but she was still upset. Being told she couldn't play was bad enough, but now Tobias having a go at her, she couldn't contain her tears as they dripped down her face. Harriet took out a handkerchief and wiped them. "Come on upstairs, I got a present for you." She took her daughter's hand and led her up the stairs. As they went past Tobias's study, she pulled out her tongue at the door. Harriet laughed at her childish antics. She led her to the main bedroom, and slowly pushed open the door. It was the room Harriet and Tobias shared. Annamaria had never been inside before.  
  
She tried to adjust her eyes to the light. The curtains were still closed, a tiny gap between the fabric allowed some sunlight in. But the room was gloomy and dull, and the darkness depressed the eight year old. She gripped tightly to Harriet's hand.  
  
Her eyes took in the rather shabby four poster bed, and cabinet that lined the far wall. She almost  
  
tripped over the mat as her mother led her to the side cupboard. She took out a key and opened the drawer.  
  
"Here." Harriet said with a smile pulling a jewellery box from the drawer.  
  
Annamaria took the wooden box in her hand. Her tiny fingers traced the ornate patterns that were engraved upon the sandalwood. The decorations swirled and grooved from the lid on to the side, but the bottom was left smooth. She lifted it to her nose and smelt it.  
  
"It's very old," She told Harriet.  
  
Her mother laughed. "It is indeed. It belonged to my great grandmother, your great great grandmother."  
  
"Have I met her?" The girl asked innocently.  
  
Harriet shook her head with a smile. "No, darling. She is residing in heaven with the rest of the Darlington clan."  
  
"Why have you got her box?"  
  
"It's been passed on, for generations and generations. My mother gave it to me, just before Samara was born. It goes to the eldest daughter, and if there is no girl in the family, it goes to the male who will then pass it to his wife."  
  
Annamaria lifted it to her ear and shook it. Something rattled inside. "But why?"  
  
Harriet shrugged. "I never thought to ask. All I know is her fiancée gave it to her. I think Mother regretted giving it to me."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"She would rather it have gone to her son, Roberto. It would have stayed in the family then."  
  
"What's inside?" Annamaria asked, passing it back to Harriet.  
  
"Ah, the real treat is inside." She pushed the clasp on either side, forcing the lid up. She turned it round and show Annamaria. Tucked neatly inside the sandalwood box was a stunning collection of jewellery. Beautiful, priceless rings, unfortunately too big for Anna's small fingers, jewel encrusted bracelets and brooches, glittering necklaces catching the feeble sun as it poured through the crack in the curtains.  
  
"But this is my favourite." Harriet said, selecting a necklace. She took it out and placed it around her daughter's neck, fastening the clasp at the back. She took her to the mirror where Anna could see the necklace.  
  
It was a small gold cross on a flimsy chain, There was one small jewel encrusted into the horizontal part of the cross. There should have been two but one was missing.  
  
"Grandmother lost it when she was thirteen. A day at the beach you see. It's probably been swallowed up by the sea." Harriet explained.  
  
Anna's fingers touched the groove where the sapphire should have been. "It makes it even more special." She told her mother.  
  
"I don't know about that, but it certainly brings the value down!" Harriet said with a laugh. She placed the box firmly in her daughter's hands. "My mother passed it to me, and her mother passed it to her, and now I am passing it to you. . ."  
  
As Annamaria threw her arms around Harriet a silhouette darkened the doorway. (italics end)  
  
"It's a wonder she hasn't caught phenomena, poor child out all night in the rain." The voice was kind and rasping. Her eyes flickered openly briefly. She stared up at the familiar dull ceiling, she in bed in her own room. Her eyes blinked several times, adjusting to the darkness. She could make out the form of the doctor, as he muttered to another figure.  
  
"Foolish girl." She recognised his voice instantly. The doctor and Tobias stood huddled by the door.  
  
"Do not be too hard on her, she has just lost her mother. Grief can do funny things to the mind."  
  
"Any longer and she would have joined her." Tobias said coldly.  
  
The doctor nodded glumly. "Poor child. We can only guess at the pain she is feeling."  
  
Tobias scoffed but did not reply.  
  
"Well anyway a few days in bed, a bit if care and understanding and she'll be on her feet again." The doctor coughed. "I'll be back to see her in a few days." The doctor nodded to Tobias as a sign of respect, took one last glance at Annamaria before leaving. She shuddered at the thought of Tobias. He stepped closer to her bed.  
  
"Please go away, please go away." She muttered into the sheets.  
  
There was a surprise call from below. Tobias shook his head and left the room. "It's push doctor." He called down the stairs. After the man had left he retired to his study and sat in his chair, leaning back, thinking.  
  
Annamaria gave a sigh of relief as the door shut, blocking out the light from the hall. She kicked off her bed covers due to her burning temperature. Her headache was so bad, it hurt her eyes to remain open. She felt faint and dizzy as she lay in her bed. She closed her eyes, and lay her head back on her pillow.  
  
She fell into a disturbed sleeping, drifting between consciousness. Harriet visited her dreams, restoring hope to her shattered life, keeping the sick child alive. 


	8. Chapter Eight

A/N Okay, first off I'd like to apologise for the shortness of this chapter! But hey look on the bright side, at least I have updated!! ^_^ Please review and tell me what you think! Many Thanks!!  
  
Chapter Eight.  
  
How long she lay in bed, Annamaria wasn't sure. The days and nights seemed to blend together beneath the thick curtains of her four poster. She did not make the full recovery the doctor had hoped for. The cold reached her chest, and attacked her lungs. At times she could hardly breathe, her head thumped, and her temperature soared. She shivered in fever, and was delirious at times. She vaguely remembered the doctor's worried figure as he placed his cold hand on her sweating forehead.  
  
When she rose for the first time, the light stung her eyes, and her legs were unstable on the ground. The doctor helped her walk across the room, but she was too tired to do anything else. She was unwilling to speak, unless asked a direct question, and even then the answer was 'yes, 'no', or 'dunno'.  
  
The reason behind this was she had changed. She didn't feel like Annamaria any more, it was like she had been taken from her body, and was watching the events from somewhere else.  
  
But somehow the twelve year recovered slowly. When she could finally leave her bed her weak legs found it difficult to walk.  
  
The doctor visited often, but as time went on his visits decreased, and she rarely saw him. It was feared the cold had got into her legs and crippled her, she thought she may never walk again. But the more she walked the easier it got. Eventually she could leave her bed and venture outside. The sun licked her skin warming her up inside as well as out. It was good to be out of doors again.  
  
The first thing she did was visit her mother's grave. It looked rain beaten, the last few weeks the Caribbean had suffered several storm, and the stone was cracked slightly at the top. She touched it softly with her fingers.  
  
"I should have gone with Samara." She said, softly. But regret doesn't change the way of things. It was peaceful in the graveyard, there was no one about, just a couple of grieving relatives, crying softly to themselves. She stood staring at the stone with sadness.  
  
She got up and made to walk away, she wasn't supposed to spend the entire day out of doors, if she caught cold again her health would plummet once more.  
  
As she was walking from the graveyard, she noticed with a pang of guilt that the other graves had flowers. She looked back at her mother's bare cross. The twelve year old wanted to give her mother some flowers.  
  
She stood there staring at it for a few minutes, when a hand fell on her shoulder. She screamed softly and spun round. The reverend was standing in front of her, his aged face creasing with worry and alarm. "I am sorry I startled you, Miss Richards.'  
  
Annamaria just shook her head.  
  
"Is there any thing wrong?"  
  
"My mother doesn't have any flowers." The child cried.  
  
He looked past her to her mother's grave. "Indeed she does not. But we can sort that out." He bent down and broke off a sprig of Rosemary from another grave. He passed it to Annamaria for inspection. She smelt it and smiled, then she looked across at the other grave. "That's wrong isn't it?" She demanded. "Taking it from another grave?"  
  
He smiled at her. "It's only a sprig, and I'm sure he wouldn't mind."  
  
She bent down in the dirt and stared at the name on the stone. She screwed up her eyes, and tried to read the inscription. "Why wouldn't he mind?" She asked.  
  
"Because it was your mother who planted that Rosemary in the first place." The reverend told her.  
  
She ran her fingers along the name but could still not make it out. "Who was he?" She asked, again.  
  
She scrambled after the reverend who had set off to her mother's cross to plant the Rosemary. "Who was he?" She said, stopping in front of him.  
  
He looked at her, through his sad eyes, placing his hand on her hair. He passed her the sprig and she planted it quickly in the ground. She played softly with the leaves as she stood up.  
  
They stood together staring at the grave, and the child managed a small smile. She had done one last thing for her mother, she had given her some flowers.  
  
The reverend put his arm around her. "That man, he was your father." 


	9. Chapter Nine

****

A/N Thanks for all the reviews, hope you like the next chapter. Granted it is a bit slow, but completely necessary. You find out who Annamaria's father was. . .well sort of! Please Read and Review!! 

Chapter Nine. 

Annamaria stepped back in shock, her heart thudded sharply in her chest, and her legs began to give way. The reverend was behind her instantly, helping her to the ground. She felt faint and the colour drained from her face. He picked her up in his strong arms and carried her into the sanctuary of the church. 

"I'm sorry I blurted it out like that. It was not my place." He said, sorrowfully as her lay her on the stone floor, before the roaring fire. 

She picked up from the heat, and pushed herself up. The thoughts buzzed round her head, too many to think about, confusing her, so she hardly remembered anything. She had always known Tobias wasn't her father, her mother had been open about that. There was no point keeping secrets that would one day come back and hurt everyone. Somehow it gave the child comfort that Tobias wasn't her real father, she could live her fantasies of her real dad sailing across the sea, and coming for her. She knew little about him, because Harriet refused to tell her. 

"He's gone." She'd say. "Now we must make do with Tobias."

But Annamaria hated the thought of 'making do', settling for something lower then she deserved. She wanted a father. A real father. 

"Who was he?" She asked, quietly. "What was his name?" She stared up into the ageing reverend's eyes, with such pleading that he did not have the heart to refuse her. 

"He was just a stranger to this port. He tumbled in one day, when a ship was wrecked during a storm. 

Your mother discovered him on the beach. She was with Samara at the time, of course, the church was a lot nearer then their home, so the two of them brought him here, to me." The reverend sighed, and looked up at his slanting ceiling. "We laid him on this very spot, beside the fire, so he could dry." He told her. 

Annamaria didn't make a sound, she was hanging onto every word he spoke. No one had ever spoken to her like that before, like she was a human, rather then just a child. The reverend smiled at her. "I shouldn't be telling you this. . .it is not my place. . ."

"Please!" She protested. "No one else will, and I simply must know." 

He shook his head, gently as though chiding himself for talking. But nevertheless he continued. "He was very ill, you see, so we had to send for the doctor. We thought he might die of cold, after all he had been in the sea for a very long time." He said. "They sent out rowing boats to the wreckage to salvage what they could, to see what survivors were left. They brought back no one with them." 

Annamaria stared at him. "No one?"

He shook his head. "Your father was the only survivor." 

A silence followed in which neither of the two spoke. Eventually the reverend cleared his throat and carried on. "However it was clear from the wreckage, that the ship had once been a majestic and powerful vessel. A majestic and powerful pirate vessel." He told her.

She gasped. "Pirates." She breathed softly to herself.

He nodded. "Unfortunately yes. So the navy were all for stringing your father up. Harriet came to me, oh she must have been about fifteen, sixteen, anyway she begged me to help her. She had grown quite attached to the young man who had swam into our midst. I must admit he was a courteous and polite individual for a pirate."

"What happened?" The child asked, her eyes were alit with excitement, she was finally going to find out the story of her past. Maybe that's too dramatic, but at least she would have an identity. She hated 

being Annamaria 'Richards'. 

"They came late at night and took him away, I tried to stop them, but what is one elderly reverend against trained navy officials. I tried to fight them, but received only a broken nose for my trouble." He mumbled. "I was shocked that I fought, I mean it had nothing to do with me after all. Do you know why I did it Annamaria?" He asked, he spoke warmly and smiled at the child.

She shook her head. 

"I did it for the innocence of a fifteen year old girl. Poor Harriet she would have been heart broken if they hung her pirate." He said, with a remembering smile. 

"Her pirate?" 

"Well, that's how she referred to him. A term of partiality on Harriet's side, I always thought." He said, with a grin. 

Annamaria began to think back to Harriet's descriptions of the Darlington family. They would certainly not except Harriet's new affection for the sea criminal. But by then they would have had Roberto, so would they have even cared? 

"So they took him. I still remember poor Harriet's tears when she arrived the next morning. After half an hour of sobbing in the back room she emerged determined to rescue him. She vowed to save him from the gallows, just as she had saved him from a watery grave. At first she appealed to her parents for assistance. . ." He frowned at the thought of Harriet's self-centred parents. "But as you can imagine they turned her down. Samara had no wish to be part of it, she was always the quiet one." He said, with a shake of his head. "Poor flower lost to the rabbles of France."

Annamaria felt herself burst to life. "You're wrong!" She said, quickly. "Samara escaped France, I saw her. She came to the funeral."

His face lit up instantly. "Little Samara survived?" He exclaimed.

The thirteen year old nodded, vigorously. "She's happy." She told him, and launched into the story of Armando. 

"I'm glad she is finally at peace, if anyone deserved happiness it was that child." 

"She asked me to go with her. But I refused." Annamaria told him.

"Why is that? Do you like it here with Tobias?"

She looked at him horrified. "No, I hate him! It's just I didn't want to. . .I don't know. . I. . ."

"Here you are closer to Harriet," he suggested.

She nodded. "And now my father." She said, resolutely. "Tell me what happened next." 

He cleared his throat, and started talking. "Where would one begin? Campaigning for the life of a pirate? In truth she didn't stand a chance. So I stepped into help, I thought her argument might have more weight supported by a man of the cloth. I have often been criticised for my actions, but I do not regret them. Do you know why I did it?"

"For Harriet?" Annamaria said.

He nodded. "She was one of God's children, neglected by the human race, she needed help. I thought if your father was hung it would destroy her. But not only that, I truly believed the pirate had changed. He was young after all and the occupation had near claimed his life. I doubted that he would speedily recover his greed for piracy." 

"So they let him off?"

"Well, it was not that simple, of course. And I won't go in to all the ins and outs, but yes, eventually he did walk free. Not completely free mind, he had to stay here, he was not allowed to leave."

Annamaria nodded. "And then they fell in love?"

He laughed. "Love is deeper that Annamaria, it's a foolish saying 'fell in love'. Love is not something one falls casually into." 

"And then Harriet found herself pregnant with his child, at the grand age of eighteen. She didn't know who to turn to, so she came to me. I convinced her to talk to your father, he would stand by her, I was sure of it. And so she did. They were to be married you know. . ." He said, softly. 

"What got in the way? What stopped them?" She asked, urgently.

The reverend looked down, unable to look into her desperate eyes. "They found him three days later, at the bottom of the cliff."

****

A/N Now that's what you call a cliffie!! Sorry Couldn't resist mate!! *ducks away from the glaring readers* Tell me what you think. . .


	10. Chapter Ten

****

A/N Thanks for all the reviews. Here is the next chapter. 

Chapter Ten. 

__

Harriet stood at the top of the cliff, as the men worked tirelessly to lift up his body. When he reached the top, the eighteen year old collapsed into a tidal wave of tears at the sight of his mangled broken body. 

"No!" She screamed. "No, please, no!" She pleaded, as they lay him on the ground. She fell down beside him, and stroked his face. "Come back to me, to us." She said, laying her other hand on the bulge of her stomach. 

But he didn't wake up. A few days later he was buried in the local graveyard, she was the only one who attended, against her parents wishes of course. Not even Samara dared to defy them. The reverend looked after her, just as he had looked after the pirate when he was first washed up on the beach nearly three years ago. 

They stood together at the graveside. "Maybe you should plant something for remembrance." He suggested.

"I don't wanta live without him." She said, numbly. She wasn't crying anymore, her grief was beyond tears. 

He nodded. "I know, I know. I see it often. But you don't have a chose, you have to live, you have to live for your baby."

After that day Harriet returned home, but her parents no longer wanted her. She had defied their rules, planned to marry a 'pirate' and got pregnant before marriage. As far as they were concerned she was no longer a Darlington. 

The reverend would have looked after her, he was a good man. But she refused his help, she denied his aid, she was going to survive on her own. Then she met Tobias. . .

"Are you okay?" The reverend asked, he put his arm around Annamaria and gently lifted her to her feet. "Maybe I should call the doctor."

She shook her head, but didn't reply. 

"Annamaria?" He asked.

But she just shook her head, silently. 

He led her down the aisle and sat her down on a wooden bench. "Was he pushed?" She asked suddenly, causing the man to jump. 

"I beg your pardon. . ." He asked. 

"You heard me, was he pushed?" She said, looking up fearfully into his eyes. "Tell me the truth."

"They said he was drunk. . ." He broke off awkwardly. 

"I don't care what they say!" Annamaria yelled, urgently. "I want to know what really happened. Something, someone, has wrecked my life and I wanna know who." She said, miserably as the tears began to flow. 

The reverend was shocked at her emotional outburst, he looked away and sighed. She was too young to be faced with such things, he shouldn't have told her. Now her burden was much heavier then before. 

"Was it Tobias?" Annamaria chirped.

The reverend was even more surprised now, he turned to face her once more. "Whatever gives you that idea, child?" 

She shrugged. "Just thinkin'."

He put his arm around her shoulders. "I'm sorry, I should not have told you."

"No, you should. Harriet didn't tell me, or Samara. . .and then there's Tobias. . ." She spat the name. 

She knew it was Tobias who had pushed her father, she just knew it. Her parents had been happy together, they were going to get married, and live happily ever after with Annamaria. She would have had a family, not the man she lived with now. She had no proof, but her childish instincts told her so. 

"Tobias is a good man. . ."

"Good man?!" Annamaria exclaimed. 

He smiled at her outburst. "Look past all that Miss Richards, look past the outside, look deeper."

"All I see is a dirty rotten killer!" She screamed.

He shook his head. "He took your mother in when no one else would have her. She was working the streets because her family had turned their backs, her fiancée had unfortunately died, and she was pregnant with you. She had nowhere to live, no money and no way of looking after you Anna. If Tobias hadn't come forward, you could have ended up a prostitute working for the pirates that hound our shores."

"You're saying I should be grateful for that monster?! He killed Harriet! He killed my father!" She got up, and ran past him, the reverend grabbed hold of her, and pulled her back. Her indignant, angry eyes stared into his tired, ageing ones. 

"You're seeing him through your eyes, Annamaria." He shook his head. "And what is all this about him killing Harriet?"

"I know he did." She said sullenly. "The doctor said she killed her self, but no, she wouldn't do that, I know she wouldn't!" The child cried. 

The reverend's attention was caught by the necklace around her neck. Her took up the cross between his fingers. "It's beautiful," he said, marvelling it. 

She nodded. "Harriet gave it to me a few years before she died."

"There is a stone missing." He said, lightly. 

She nodded, and took the pendent out of his hands. "Her grandmother lost it." She told him. 

"Ah, such history." He stood up, and smiled down at her. "I don't suppose you know the history of poor Tobias. . ." But his words were cut short, as a woman burst into the church followed by a rough looking fifteen year old boy. 

"Christopher." She screamed throwing her arms around the reverend's neck, he patted her soft, bonneted head in alarm. 

The boy stood watching the doors, anxiously. Annamaria watched him with interest. He was tall and thin for his age, his face was grubby black, matching his hands and fingernails. His hair was matted and windswept, and a small cutlass was concealed by his side. 

He saw her violet eyes watching him and winked. She smiled in surprise. 

The woman had parted and was standing back slightly, sobbing. 

"What's wrong?" He asked. 

She looked up, she was quite pretty really. She had blond hair, tinged with dirt and grime, her eyes were shining with tears. Her face was oval and taunt, she had had little to eat it seemed, and her clothes were middle class, patched and repatched. 

"They're after Jack." She said, in a desolate voice. 

**A/N Hope you liked this chapter. And now I must ask for help from my loyal readers, oh yes I must. I need a name for the woman, the one who has just come in with Jack. I want it to be traditional, but a little bit different, or just any name really that would suit her. Please leave your suggestions in a review. And thanks for reading. Next update will be soon! ^_^ **


	11. Chapter Eleven

__

A/N Thanks for all the reviews, and suggestions. The woman isn't an important character, I just couldn't think of a name for her. I have decided to go with Charlotte, for the main reason that it goes with Christopher. (Christopher and Charlotte). 

Okay, so it's quite a short chapter, and not much is happening. The next one will be longer. Please review. Many Thanks. 

Chapter Eleven. 

The silence in the vast church was only broken by the high pitched sobs of the woman. She had thrown herself down onto the floor, on her knees, in desperation. The boy just stood watching her.

"What have you done now, Jack?" The reverend hissed in dismay. 

Annamaria felt herself being pushed back, she was not introduced to the couple, and after the wink the boy didn't look at her again. 

The boy smirked at the reverend. "Why do you always accuse me? You never know, I could be innocent."

The reverend smiled, slightly. "I do know, Jack, because I know you." 

He bent down beside the woman, and tried to reassure her. "It'll be okay, Charlotte," he said, smoothly. 

The boy, who he had referred to as Jack, turned to face Annamaria who was sniffing miserably. 

"Who's the girl?" He asked. 

"Ah, this is Miss Richards." 

"Annamaria!" She said, quickly. She hated being introduced as Miss Richards, she despised being associated to that man. But nor did she want to take on her mother's name. The Darlington's had thrown them out in the cold. It was at this point she realised, the reverend had not told her her father's name. 

Just as the boy was about to reply, there was a massive bang on the door. 

The woman jumped up instantly, and stepped back. The reverend stepped forward in a protective manner. Jack grabbed Annamaria's sleeve and pulled her back. She didn't question and let him lead her. 

There was another crash at the door, followed by a shout. 

The reverend turned to Jack. "You should run, take the back entrance. . ."

"They're not fools, they'll know about the exit from the vestry." Jack said, quickly, brushing the hair from his eyes. 

The reverend nodded. "That's not the way I mean!" He turned to Annamaria. "It's the exit from the store room, you know where I mean, take Jack and Charlotte." He said, as the door crashed again.

The woman shook her head. "I'll stay here, we can hold them off, whilst Jack gets away." 

Annamaria took over between the aisle as the door received another bashing, Jack followed her without looking back. 

She led him behind the velvet curtain, past the family quarters and into the store room. It was an old dusty room, full of prayer books with pages missing, gold goblets, chairs and tables used for church fetes, and cobwebs spinning their way across every surface. 

They came up to a bookcase, and stared up at it. She grabbed hold of one side, and began to drag it. "You gonna help?" She demanded angrily. This interruption from Jack and Charlotte had cost her much knowledge. She still had many questions bubbling around her mind. She desperately needed to know more, what had really happened to her father, and who he was. 

Jack grabbed the other side and heaved it along the ground. He was strong and they moved it quickly. The space, now free, revealed the door. It was locked of course, and the key hole had rusted over. 

"What now?" Annamaria panted. There was no way out of that door.

Jack threw himself against the wood, but it didn't move at all.

"I suppose we could try the vestry." Annamaria suggested. 

He shook his head. "No, we'd be caught." 

He grabbed her arm but she pulled away. 

"We!?" She exclaimed. "I haven't done anything." Just as she was about to walk away the two heard a loud crash. The doors to the church had been forced open. She turned to him, her mouth open, her heart stopped. 

He looked up, ran to the door and peered through the crack, the red coats were talking to the reverend and Charlotte, they roughly pushed her against the pews demanding for Jack's location. He pulled back. 

"We'll have to hide." 

She nodded.

"Where? Where?!" He demanded. 

She stood thinking for a few moments. She had never really been around the church. Before she opened her mouth, Jack grabbed her hand and tugged her across the room. He threw her under an old dusty table. 

"Stay 'ere til I fetch yer." He told her.

She nodded, scared. "Where are you going?"

He grinned. "I'll find somewhere. I'm Jack Sparrow, after all."


	12. Chapter Twelve

__

A/N Glad you all liked the last chapter, and thought I kept Jack in character. Thanks for all the reviews!! ^_^ 

Chapter Twelve. 

Annamaria stayed huddled up in that position for a long time, her arms wrapped around her scrawny knees. In fact she was there so long that the muscles in her legs began to ache, and she desperately desired to stretch out. But her heart stopped, and her breath quickened at the tiniest of sounds, and she dared not move an inch. 

Eventually her eyes began to shut, her droopy lids fell softly over her sight, and she gently drifted into sleep, underneath the dusty, rag covered table. 

She was awakened rather rudely by someone poking her. "Oy!" Came a voice.

Her eyes adjusted quickly to the darkness and she managed to make out the figure that knelt before her. She struggled however to remember his name. So rather then embarrass herself she just stared blankly at him. 

"C'mon!" He said, urgently, grabbing hold of her cold hand and pulling her out. Her legs felt tight as she tried to stand up, Jack steadied her with his hand at her elbow. 

The room was swallowed by darkness, and fear began to take her once more. "What's going on?" she demanded suspiciously. Maybe this boy worked for Tobias, she shivered at the thought. 

"It's night time, silly!" The boy laughed. "The ol' red coats are gone."

"Where's the reverend?" She asked, looking round expecting to see him. At least then she could hear the end of her father's story. After all she hadn't even been told his name. 

He studied his grimy nails for a few seconds before answering. "I dunno, and tha's the truth."

"The truth? I don't even know who you are."

He grinned. "Told yer, Jack Sparrow."

She shook her head. "I don't mean your name. Everyone has a name, and yours means nothing to me." She told him.

"It will one day."

"I beg your pardon?"

He pulled her closer. "I'm gonna be a legend on the seas, Jack Sparrow will be a name spoken wit' dread." 

She smiled, softly to herself, but then remembering her predicament almost brought tears to her eyes. "What are we going to do?" She asked, but when she didn't get a reply she tried another line of questioning. "Where is your mother?"

"My mother?" He exclaimed in surprise. "Died years ago."

"Then that woman. . ."

He grinned. "She ain't my mother. Likes to think so, though." 

"Then who. . ."

He just shook his head in an obstinate fashion. He took hold of her hand and led her to the door. He pushed it open and the two crept out into the passage way. The church was eerily silent at night, and the grotesque shadows that lined the walls cause Annamaria to close her eyes in fright. 

"S'ok." He muttered, almost to himself. 

"Jack!" She said, tugging on his hand. 

"What?" He hissed. 

"You're going the wrong way! The vestry is this way, the other doors will never be open." She said, trying to pull him to a stop.

"Ah, but we're not going to the vestry, at least not yet!" He said.

"What? Why? You don't make any sense." 

"You'll see." Was the only reply he would give her. "It's all about timing," he said, speaking once more to himself. 

She gave up trying to change his course, and settled on following his lead and trying to determine what he was up to. Her head was full of thoughts of her father, and either though he was dead, she felt like a part of her was now complete. And in the blackness she clutched her golden cross, and fingered the one remaining stone. 

He led her down the aisles, weaving his way between the benches, and prayer book stands laid out for the next morning's sermon. Past the purple velvet curtain that hid the organ from view, and through to the back rooms; the reverend's personal apartments.

"There's nothing in here." she said, in surprise. 

He just smirked. "Just you wait an' see, luv."

"Love?" She had never heard the word used in such context before. To her it had always been what she felt for Harriet. 

He led her into a another room, which was locked but the key was hanging on the side. 

"Pointless locking the door if you're going to hang the key next to it." He said, with a snigger as he clicked it into place in the lock.

"What are you doing?" she hissed at him, as he swung open the door. She didn't know what was behind the door, and though eager to find out, felt sure what they were doing was wrong. 

"This is breaking and entering." She whispered.

"Nonsense we were already inside. We didn't break nothin'." He told her, as the stepped into the room. And by the dim candle light Annamaria could make out the glittering form of the Virgin Mary as she stood towering above them, made from pure gold. And around her feet lay thousands of glittering gems, and jewels, golden crosses, rings, brooches, many with no religious connections. 

"We shouldn't be in here." Annamaria said, backing away.

But Jack didn't heed her words. He was kneeling down, fingering the gold, examining and calculating it's worth. 

"No!" she said, suddenly realising. "You cannot steal from the church! You cannot steal from the reverend." 

She lunged at him, to distract his calculations scattering a pearl necklace across the room. He pushed her to the ground in annoyance. "I'm not stealing, this doesn't belong to the church, they stole it in the first place!" He yelled, towering above her. 

"What are you talking about?" She snivelled. 

A noise from the other room made them both jump. "Just a rat." He sighed.

But that made Annamaria look even more worried. "Jack!" She hissed.

He grabbed her shoulders, and held his hand to her mouth. "Shut up!" 

And then it came to her. "You! You and that woman! You came here on purpose just to steal from the reverend! Well, I won't let you!" She screeched. 

He just ignored her, and carried on collecting the jewels. She screeched once more, but he didn't reply. She began to get frustrated. "Right, well, I'm going then, I won't have any part in your evil plans! You can go to hell on your own!" 

She turned and made to walk out of the room.

Jack stopped her. "Anna," He said, almost softly, as though he was talking to someone much younger then him. "This doesn't belong to the church."

"It doesn't belong to you." She said, sullenly. 

There was a loud crashing noise as the doors were flung open. A group of men marched into the church, their rifles held sternly by their sides. Jack flung Annamaria aside and ran to the door. 

"Red coats! We have to get outta here." 

"What about the reverend?" Annamaria persisted. 

"Told yer!" He scooped up a collection of treasures, and pushed her through the door. They remained hidden until the red coats left the front room, then Jack led Anna across the room and out through the open doors. 

She pulled on his sleeve once out in the open. "What are we going to do?" 

"We?" He exclaimed. "I think you should trundle along home."

Annamaria stared at him indignantly. "If they ask who stole the jewels, I'll tell them."

He grabbed her. "Word of advise, don't dig your own grave." And with that he walked off, leaving the girl both confused and angry.


	13. Chapter Thirteen

__

A/N Sorry I haven't posted for over a week, I've been really ill, and stressed with all my coursework. Anyway enough of me rambling on. . .I just have one thing to say before this next chapter. 

To anonymous: - Thanks for your point, yeah, I thought Annamaria was acting a little childish, but I'm going to blame it on her upbringing. Hopefully in this chapter she will be more like the thirteen year old of the time period. Thanks for reviewing. 

Anyway hope you all like this chapter. Please review. 

Chapter Thirteen.

Annamaria had nothing else to do but return home. She dreaded the 'yelling at' she would get from Tobias, after all she had been out all night. But when she pushed open the front door she was greeted by an empty house, just how it suited her. 

She tried to forget what had happened, but the knowledge she had accumulated that night wouldn't leave, and the pure horror of the robbery chilled her insides. Not that she had anything against stealing.

"Stealings wrong Anna, but if there's something you need bad, and you can't pay for it, it's okay to take a loaner, what they call an exception to the rule." Harriet told her once. 

No, sometimes there was no other choice. But stealing from the reverend was different; he was her only friend in this darkness, and she'd betrayed him. She was rather ashamed of the way she had acted with Jack, what a child, what a girl he must have thought her. 

And lying on her bed, she sobbed herself to sleep. 

She was roughly shook awake Milly, the girl who came in every morning to clean, and attend to Tobias's needs, including making breakfast. 

"Milly?" Annamaria gasped.

She smiled softly. "Mr Richards asked me to wake you, he requires your presence in the study." 

Annamaria jumped up and began to pull her dress from the drawer, Milly came to her aid.

"What is it about, Milly?" She demanded. 

"It's the church, 'twas burgled last night."

"Burgled?" Annamaria repeated, trying to stop my face blushing. 

She nodded.

"Where was the reverend?" 

"Now there is the funny thing. The reverend was arrested for harbouring a criminal. He's been realised of course, said he was doing his duty to God. Those who confess in his box do it in confidence. It seemed a young boy escaping from the navy took cover in the Church." 

Annamaria couldn't reply, she was concentrating on hiding her fear from Milly. Not just fear, anger as well. She was angry against Jack Sparrow, that boy that had come from nowhere and wrecked everything. First he interrupted her story, stole from the church, got the reverend arrested, and got her in trouble with Tobias. 

When she was dressed she walked slowly, and elegantly down the stairs. In truth she was stalling for time, trying desperately to compose herself. She swallowed back her emotions, and knocked quietly on the study door. 

When she walked in, at Tobias's bidding, she gasped, and almost ran back out again. For sitting across from Tobias was the Governor of Wake Town. 

"Annamaria." He glowered.

She curtsied at Tobias, but her eyes did not leave the face of the Governor. "What's going on?" She asked.

"I doubt Milly has left you in the dark." He remarked slowly. It was clear he despised the girl, but no other would put up with him. She was too full of life for his tastes. 

Annamaria sat down. 

"The beautiful jewels donated by none other then your mother's family have been callously taken from God's house." Annamaria looked up in surprise. The artefacts belonged to her family, or had at one point. But Jack had said they were stolen. . .

She stared in to the Governor's face. He was a stern, middle aged man with firm principles concerning right and wrong. Most of his family had died from the pox, and he was certainly a lonely person. The illness had scarred his face, as well as his life. 

After a few seconds of eye-contact, her gaze fell down to her shoes. 

"What has this to do with me?" She asked eventually.

"You never came home last night, where were you?" Tobias hissed.

Annamaria shrugged. "By the sea."

"Who with?"

"Jac. . .I was on my own, sir." 

"Really?" Tobias asked, his eyebrows raised.

"Oh this nonsense, Richards, of course the girl has nothing to do with it. It's just she was with the reverend, and I wanted to know what she thought of him."

"He is a very kind man, he was generous enough to share a bit of my past with me." Annamaria told them. "He planted a Rosemary plant on Harri. . .on my mother's grave."

"Fancy plants will not bring her back." Tobias sneered.

"Excuse my contradiction, sir. Plants won't bring her back, but there is no harm in telling she is not forgotten. And never will be." Annamaria replied. "Except by her killer perhaps." She said, coldly. 

"I never loved Harriet, but nor did I kill her!" He called after her. 

The front door slammed shut as she stormed from the house, and down the pathway. She didn't think, letting her feet guide her where they would. 

She ended up going to the graveyard. She stood by Harriet's grave, where the plant was growing well. She knelt down and tore it's very roots from the ground, and throwing them up into the air. With her right foot she kicked the grave fiercely. 

She was bitterly angry, as she stared down at the grey stone. "You're nothing but a liar Harriet Richards." She mumbled, shaking her head. 

"Who's there?" A voice called suddenly. 

She peered out from behind the cross, to see the reverend walking around a few yards away. She fought the impulse to run to him, but then without knowing why, she turned in the other direction and ran as fast as she could. 

Once out of the gates, she sat down on the ground, leaning against a tall palm tree, and closed her eyes, letting the anger course, like blood, through her veins. She fell asleep with the Caribbean sun, licking her cold face, dreaming of Harriet. 

The dream brought back unpleasant memories, her hand clasped around the gold pendant, that swung from her neck. Her fingers caressed the grooves of the missing stones. Missing stones? She jumped up in alarm. The second and final stone had fallen from her necklace. 


	14. Chapter Fourteen

****

A/N I have finally got round to writing and posting the next chapter of 'Eternity of Darkness'. Now this chapter may still be a work in progress, but I thought I'd post it, just so you can see what I'm working on. Please review and tell me what I'm doing right, and more importantly what I'm doing wrong. Many thanks. JessieRose.

Chapter Fourteen.

She returned home that night, quietly creeping in through the door so as not to disturb Tobias in his study. After her actions this morning she doubted he would be in a good mood. She was about to creep up the stairs, when voices from the front room attracted her attention.

". . . recognised it at once, the only valuable thing that remained." A voice said, she knew it instantly as the reverend Christopher's.

She moved a little closer and peered through the crack in the keyhole. She could only see a third of the room, in which she caught sight of Tobias sitting in his chair by the fire. There were two other figures, one must have been the reverend.

"You. . .seen it. . .?" Came a muffled voice, she could only make out the odd word. The speaker was someone she didn't recognise and clearly had their back to the door.

"Indeed, I have."

"When?"

"She showed it to me." Came the Reverend's reply. "It is rather a distinct stone, and everything else was gone, so easy to spot."

Tobias spoke for the first time. "Circumstantial evidence." He remarked, mildly.

"Sir, excuse me, I am not trying to accuse your daughter. . ."

"For the last time, she is not my child! And secondly no one would convict a fourteen year old because of this." She saw him shake his arm through the air.

"But. . .must. . .been there. . ." came the voice of the unknown man.

Her heart was thudding wickedly in her chest, and she had to step back from the door to calm herself down, causing her to miss Tobias's reply. She put her eye back to the key hole, and once more looked around the room.

Tobias was standing up, and pacing rather nervously. The reverend stood deathly still, and the unfamiliar man was not within her sights.

". . .are you going to do?"

The reverend shook his head. "I cannot believe it of Annamaria."

"Don't let appearances fool you, she is a devious girl."

"But that does not make her a thief. And to think I trusted her to watch Jack. . ."

"Who?" Tobias demanded quickly.

"Oh no one. . .my. . .cat."

Tobias's eyes did not leave his lying face. Annamaria was surprised that the reverend had not told the truth. He must have really loved that woman, if he was willing to cover up for Jack.

"I say we confront her. . ."

"Here, here, then we can clear up this whole rotten business."

At that second the door was pulled up, and dirty, scruffy Annamaria tumbled into the room. She looked up in fear and surprise at the shocked faces Tobias, the reverend and the stranger.

"Annamaria!" The reverend exclaimed.

Tobias smirked, nastily. "This is your niece, Mr Darlington."

Niece? For a few seconds Annamaria stayed on the floor, she had no incentive to get up, and was at that point very confused. And then it dawned on her, just who this man was. It was Roberto Darlington, the longed for boy who caused Harriet to be pushed out. She scrambled up.

He stared at her through his noble, fine eyes, judging on her appearance, and sullen expression. "Eavesdropping is not an occupation I would expect from a refined girl, such as yourself." He said.

Annamaria didn't reply. She was shocked. And here he was, a man who was supposed to be her family, whom she had never met before in her life. Here he was lecturing her on her behaviour. She smiled at the thought of what he would say if he met Jack.

She bowed her head slightly, and gazed at the door.

"I doubt you'll find her a very refined girl, Darlington. She neglected her schooling, and Harriet was never much of. . ."

Roberto held up his hand in a glamorous way to stop the tirade of insults from Tobias. It was clear by the expression on his face he thought himself better then everyone else standing in the room. The weak reverend hovered at the back somewhere, only interrupting occasionally, and when he dared.

"What are you doing here?" Annamaria demanded.

"Well you see child I got a piece of news this morning, brought to my attention by your _esteemed _guardian here." He said, referring to Tobias. "When you thieve from the church child, not only do you bring yourself to shame, but the rest of your family by your side."

She stepped back hurriedly. "I didn't thief nothing!"

He sighed. "I didn't thieve anything."

"This is hardly the time to be correcting her on her grammar." The reverend mumbled.

Roberto turned and stared at him, with a cruel smile on his twisted face. Annamaria found it hard to believe this man was related to Harriet and Samara, both who had seemed so gentle. He was malicious, years of being spoilt and petted by his parents had clearly gone to his head.

"I cannot abide bad grammar, it is a filthy habit, which should be stomped out. The truth is she is a thief." He grabbed her. "Now where are the. . .ah." He had spotted the chain around her neck, void of it's gems. His hand was cold against her bare skin, as he picked up the cross from her neck. "Missing something, are we?" He snatched it back. "This should be mine anyway, Harriet stole it from me."

Annamaria was about to retort, but no words could express the anger she felt. This man had ruined her mother's life, her parents would never have abandoned dear Harriet if Roberto hadn't taken her place.

"Let her explain, give her a chance to. . ."The reverend began.

"Where are the jewels you took?" Roberto demanded.

"I didn't take them!" I yelled.

"This suggests otherwise." He held out his hand, and it in was the missing firestone from her cross.

He grabbed her hand and refused to let go, she struggled against his pincer grip.

"You shall go to hell child, for what you have done." He said, almost solemnly. "But first you must return what you have taken!"

"I took. . .nothing." She said, trying to pull free.

"Then explain this." He sneered.

She took his cruel glance at the reverend as a chance of escape. She sunk her teeth deep into his skin, causing him to yell and let go. He stepped back cradling his hand whilst she ran from the house.

"You shall hang girl!" He shouted after her.

****

A/N So they think Annamaria's the thief…


	15. Chapter Fifteen

A/N I'm still alive!! I am also currently working on a sequel to Dora Sanchez (still juggling whether it is a good idea or not) anyway here is the next chapter, hope you like. Please review on your way out!

Chapter Fifteen.

Three months later Annamaria was residing in the merry portside town on Tortuga. Its colourful outbursts, and strange characters delighted all her senses, and she'd never been happier then in those first few months. It seemed her life had taken a drastic turn for the better. She had escaped Tobias and his eternity of darkness, the flat, colourless town where she had lived, the constant painful reminders of Harriet, and her uncle's domination over image and appearance. There was of course a few downfalls to living in Tortuga.

For a start she had to put up with Jack. After all it was him who brought her here. He had found her collapsed by the pier, tired of running and hiding from the fiends that chased her. He offered her a chance to escape, and she took it.

Though he wasn't particularly pleased to have her tagging along by his side, he put up with her, knowing that it was mainly due to him she had been forced to leave in the first place.

Another reason that vexed the child was that the reverend believed her guilty of such a heinous crime. And of course, she never found out the name of her mystery father, the man who had fallen down the cliff during a drunken frenzy. It seemed it was a part of her life that would forever go unanswered.

She'd quickly adapted to the rather open way of life in this town of few morals. She saw a new side to the fifteen year old boy, a side that both excited and repulsed her. He was a blood thirsty, gold hungry person, and at that young age he was already shrewd and ready to con anyone who crossed his path. Charlotte was a woman of little morals and seemed able to sell herself to every Tom, Dick and Harry that passed under her nose.

The thirteen year old sloped out through the yard, and down the cobbled street. She had a couple of shillings jangling in her pocket, Charlotte's way of disposing of Annamaria for a few hours.

She wondered through the crowds, not eager to spend her money, but desiring everything she saw. It was quite a bring down in the world really, going from the comfy house of Tobias Richards, to the dank, dirty pub on the corner of a Tortuga Street.

She emerged by the docks and sat down watching the men as they fought over a pretty lass that was already gone.

"We'll leave tomorrow night then. You're either in or yer not." Came a gruff voice. "I don't except no half hearters, in or out."

"I'm in." Came the confident voice of Jack Sparrow.

"Good." The man coughed. "I need all the supporters a can git, an' yer a good fighter Jack."

Jack grinned. "We'll see."

Annamaria didn't fully understand what she had just heard, and nor did she wish too. It sounded like Jack was planning to go away, but what would happen to her then? She'd have to stay with Charlotte. But that woman would throw her out as soon as look at her. She was deeply passionate in her love and devotion to Jack, but she cared not a jot for the scruffy girl he had brought with him.

That night she confronted him. "I heard you today, you can't leave, Jack." She began.

He pulled away. "Eavesdropping' ain't good. The listener ne'er hears anything good about 'em."

"That doesn't answer my question, or explain why you're running away."

"Running away?" He exclaimed. " Anna, this is one chance to make it big. I'm gonna be famous one day."

She scowled. "That's what Harriet used to say. She's dead, Jack."

He smiled softly, and put his arm on her shoulder. "And you're worried about me, is that it?"

She pulled away in disgust. "Far from it. Far more arrogantly selfish I'm afraid. I'm worried about myself. What will happen to me, after you have gone."

"You'll be fine. Yer resourceful ain't you?" He said, stepping past her.

Annamaria smiled softly. "Those jewels you stole, they belonged to my family. Now they belong to me. Give them to me and you can go."

Jack laughed uncertainly. "Yer joking right? Why would I want to give 'em to you?"

"Give them to me, an' then yer can go."

He stared at her suspiciously. "I need 'em."

"More then me? I wonder have you told Charlotte your plans to leave."

He scowled at her.

"She'll be loathe to let you go!" Annamaria continued.

"Tell you what, I'll come back for you."

"I don't believe you."

"I will, look this voyage, it's under Captain Nero. He's travellin' round the tip of Africa to intercept a slaver returning to England, not with slaves, but wit' gold."

"What is this obsession you have with gold?"

"It's the only object in the world that's value increases with age."

Annamaria laughed. "If only you could hear yourself. You sound ridiculous. Planning to swan off half way around the world as cabin boy to some murderous captain. How much of that gold do you really think you'll get? I mean what is your share really going to be?"

"I don't care what you say."

"And what about Charlotte? Jack she risked her life to save yours that day in the church, the least you could do…"

"I'm doing this for her. Once I bring back all the gold, she won't need to be a hooker any more." Jack insisted.

"You're not coming back, Jack. I'm old enough to know that. Just give me my jewels, and you can go to wherever the hell you want." Annamaria claimed.

That night Annamaria lay awake. She could not sleep due to two reasons. Charlotte was making a terrible racquet downstairs as she tried to get the local drunks to leave the pub. The second reason was worry. Annamaria had often lain awake at night worrying, it was a common occurrence to this troubled little girl. But she hadn't done it for three months, ever since she'd arrived in Tortuga. And now Jack was planning to leave her, she wasn't particularly attached to Jack, she didn't care about him, and doubted she would miss him at all. But it's nice not to be alone. And for the first time since she had lost Harriet she wasn't alone, she had someone looking out for her, even if it was the selfish Jack Sparrow. She didn't mind that she had to live under the same roof as Charlotte, or that she was completely penniless, as long as she had someone with her. But now he was planning to leave. She could feel the world slowing caving in on her again. She clutched her pillow in an attempt to hold onto something, as the rest slipped away beneath her.

The next morning she awoke, groggy from lack of sleep, and stretched her aching limbs, as she clambered from the wooden bed. Jack was gone. She could sense it immediately. The building was silent. Normally, it was consumed by noises of banging crockery as Charlotte set up below, Jack would be arguing with her, or charging up and down the stairs. But on that day, the house sat silent. She closed her eyes, and walked blindly down the hallway to Jack's room. Her eyes shot open as she pushed open the door to reveal an empty room.

"You pig!" She screamed. "You're no better then Tobias. You're no better then Harriet! Just walking out and leaving me, after you got me into this mess!"

She threw herself down on to the floor, huddled up in a ball, but still refusing to cry. Crying over jack meant she missed him, meant she liked him, which she most certainly did not.

Charlotte appeared behind her. "Jack's gone." She sniffed.

Annamaria had to stop herself from a sarcastic reply, she bit her lip instead.

"He left you this." Charlotte held out a piece of paper, but moved it away as Annamaria reached for it. "I want you to leave, I want you to get out of this house, now!"

"But I have nowhere else to go!"

"Get out!" Charlotte screeched, pointing to the door. "I only put up with you for Jack's sake."

Annamaria grabbed the paper, went to her room, and stuffed all her belongings in a bag. She took one last look at Charlotte before leaving the pub for good, stepping outside to the lawless streets of Tortuga.


	16. Chapter Sixteen

_A/N I'm sorry I haven't updated for so long, please accept my apologies and enjoy the chapter! _

Chapter Sixteen

For a while Annamaria was at a loss. She was stuck in this town of no morals, with no connections and no friends. She could not return home because they believed her to be a thief, and she would be hung. She stood on the cobbled streets, unsure what to do next. It seemed there was nothing left, she couldn't live on the streets, if the elements didn't take her, the pirates certainly would. And she had no money to rent a room, Jack had scampered, taking the jewels with him. She kicked the wall angrily, pretending to herself that it was really Jack's head. It hurt her foot, and she held back a screech of pain.

"Alright love?"

She turned round to see a sinister figure looming over her. He had no teeth left in his mouth, and his eyes were yellow. His clothes hung off him, and she could see he was barely alive. She screamed, and ran past him, almost knocking him over. She'd been long enough in Tortuga to know not to linger.

She breathed a sigh of relief, and closed her eyes to stop the tears from rolling down her cheeks. It was at that point when she remembered the note Jack had left her. She pulled it out of her pocket with contempt, and unscrewed it, smoothing out the creases.

_'I'll be back, savvy? 'Til then, try the Harrowing Star, I think you might find what you looking for is there! Jack (King of the Sea)'_

Even in her predicament, big as it was, she couldn't help but smile. Jack, King of the Sea? Yes, she could certainly see that. He had such an aura about him; he could be anything he wanted to be. She screwed up the note angrily, how dare he leave her? 'I'll be back' well she doubted that, he had nothing to come back for. It wasn't as though he cared very much about Annamaria, or Charlotte.

'The Harrowing Star', she'd never heard of it before, and what was she looking for? A bed for the night? Food? Shelter? As if they were going to give her that for free! But it was worth a try, and for the second time in her life she was willing to put her life in Jack's hands and trust him.

She wiped her eyes, and set off looking for the pub. Of course, after being there for three months one would expect Annamaria to have developed her bearings, and have a good idea where the Harrowing Star was. Unfortunately half the pubs in Tortuga didn't have a name, and she knew little of the place she was now living. She ventured only small distances on her own, and was at the moment in uncharted territory, as they say.

She watched the shady characters rushing past her, and considered stopping them and asking for directions. But half looked out of their heads either with alcohol, and the rest looked deadly sinister. She was certain one was a slave trader. So she continued wondering the streets, rather aimlessly, even though she was searching for the pub. She knew she had to find it before night time, because that's when it really got rough.

Evening was beginning to settle, the sky was turning a dusky shade of blue, and a few stars had started to prickle the sky. It wasn't cold but she pulled her loose shirt tighter around her shivering shoulders. It was not uncommon to see young children wondering these lawless streets after dark, so no one questioned the thirteen year old as she stumbled along the busy cobbles.

She'd just about given up all hope, and collapsed against the wall of the nearest grimy building. She sat huddled in thought on the ground. "I'm going to die," she whispered, softly to herself. "I'm going to see Harriet and my father, whoever he is."

Her mind was racing back to that day, over three months ago, when the reverend had blurted out his secret. She had been so close to knowing all when Jack and Charlotte had interrupted them. Ever since then Jack's presence had been leading her in further trouble. First she was accused of stealing from the church, and now she had been thrown out on the streets of Tortuga and left to die.

Her grubby fingers and dirt encrusted nails traced the cracks in the wall as she sat. Night had finally taken over, but the full moon provided ample light. The passing people took little or no interest in the solitary girl, hunched alone against the old inn. The common idea was that her mum had gone hookin' and she waiting outside.

Eventually, Annamaria forced herself up. Harriet may have killed herself, but she certainly wasn't going to. She began her fruitless search once again and this time it was rewarded.

She had just turned from a dark alleyway and into a narrow street. At one end was about five stables, three were occupied with braying horses. The other doors were wide open, and Annamaria wondered whether they had not all been occupied at one point and two of the horses had escaped. Her eyes surveyed the area and fell on a creaking sign outside a small white washed building. 'The Harrowing Star' had been painted in scrawling letters above a yellow five pointed star. She could hear loud chatter coming from inside and the clanking of tankard on wood. She took one step towards the door and stopped. Now she was here what was she going to do? Just simply walk in and expect to find the answer to all her troubles? Perhaps Jack had sent her on a wild goose chase after all. I really should have thought about this first, she thought, as her hand rested on the door.

She jumped back in surprise as it was pushed open.

Standing in the doorway was a large, bristling woman. She was wearing a red dress that flowed awkwardly over her bulging stomach. In her right hand she held a worn, tricorn hat, and in the other, by the scruff of the neck, she held a weedy drunk-looking man.

"And stay out!" she screeched, throwing him down on to the cobbles. She threw down the hat, which landed at his feet. He snatched it up and brandished at her.

"I'll have you one day, Molly!" He snarled.

She just laughed, as he clambered up and scampered away. Her cold eyes then rested on the young girl in front of you.

"Adults only," She barked.

"Please!" Annamaria said, as the woman turned to go back in to the tavern. "Jack Sparrow sent me."

The woman's eyes were completely blank. "Never heard of him!" She told her. "Now kindly leave. I can't have children cluttering up my doorway."

"But…but…this is the Harrowing Star, isn't it?"  
"It is indeed child, but you won't find what you're looking for here."

"But Jack said I would." Annamaria cried, angrily.

The woman sneered, just as she had done at the weedy man.

"My name is Annamaria." The girl tried again. But she got no response. The woman stepped back into the tavern and closed the door, cutting out the light and muffling the sound. She hit the door, but only resulted in hurting her fist.

"I hate you Jack Sparrow!" She screamed. "I hate you, I hate you!"

She pulled out the note from her pocket, and read it once more, her olive eyes darting over the scrawled, half hearted words. She screwed it up in her fist and threw it as hard as she could towards the stables. "I hate you!"

She stared up at the sky, that beautiful star prickled sky. Harriet was up there somewhere, but she shouldn't be. She should have been down on earth, where her daughter needed her. Helping Annamaria when she was in desperate trouble. Instead she had gone, killed herself and left her only child under the tyrannical rule of Tobias.

"You promised me!" The girl screeched, getting angrier. "I hate you, Harriet Darlington!"

As the words left her lips, the sound from the pub decreased and the door once again snapped open.

She screwed her eyes up against the light and stared up at the figure.

"Did you say Harriet Darlington?"

* * *

_A/N How was it? I'll be updating soon, so watch this space..._


	17. Chapter Seventeen

_A/N Okay, so here's the next chapter. I have most of the chapters written now, so will be updating frequently. Please read and tell me what you think. Thanks! _

**

* * *

**

**Chapter Seventeen**

The figure stepped aside, and Annamaria entered the tavern. It was a small, circular room, occupied mainly by men. There were about twenty tables, each surrounded by numerous stools. There were men, of all descriptions, drinking, bartering their wares, and gambling over packs of cards. Once her eyes had adjusted to the light, Annamaria stared up at the woman who had called her back into the pub. Her red dress was heavily sequined and there was a layer of lace around the rim that brushed defiantly along the floor. Her face was circular, her lips bright red, and her eyes as cold as they had been in the moonlight.

"Harriet Darlington?" She asked.

Annamaria nodded, after all that shouting she seemed to have lost her voice, or the will to use it.

"Harriet Darlington, of the Darlington family?" The woman demanded.

Annamaria nodded once again, she was so shocked at being invited in that she didn't speak. The woman led her though the bar, where both were ignored by the drunken men. Behind the bar stood a flighty girl, who was swaying on her bare legs. She looked more drunk then some of the customers.

"Sarah!" Molly snapped her fingers as they pass, causing the barmaid's eyes to open.

"Lea' me alone!" The girl replied, turning her bloodshot eyes to them.

Molly rolled her eyes as she steered Annamaria through to the back room.

"That girl! I'll swing for her one of these days! She arrived on a merchant ship a few months ago; I took her on out of pity!" The woman spat.

Annamaria chocked back a scorn. She doubted this blustering woman before her had any pity.

"I've trained her best I can, but it's like trying to teach a parrot how to play the pianoforte!" she snarled.

After finishing her rant about the poor serving girl, Molly finally turned to the girl she had dragged from the streets.

"You said something about Harriet Darlington?"

Annamaria nodded once again, and at last finding her tongue, she opened her mouth to speak. "Yes, she is…she was…my mother."

"Was?"

"She's dead."

Molly scoffed. "Why doesn't that surprise me? She was a sinner if ever I've seen one, a girl of such loose morals…"

"She was a beautiful woman, and I loved her!" Annamaria cried angrily.

Molly's eyes widened, as though she was seeing Annamaria for the first time. "How old are you, girl?" she demanded, grabbing the girl's shoulders.

Annamaria wriggled free of her pincer grip and whirled round to face her. "I'm thirteen!"

"And your father?"

She shrugged.

"Who's your father?" Molly demanded.

"I don't know!" Annamaria insisted.

Molly turned so she was looking out of the window on to the stables. "Fourteen years ago your mother was engaged to my brother, they were very happy together, though neither had much of a future. The stupid girl had gone and got herself pregnant, and my brother, the gallant fool he was, had stepped forward to put a ring on her finger, "make an honest woman out of her!" Only…" Molly broke off, and a rare sign of emotion flashed over her face.

"He died." Annamaria finished.

Molly nodded with a sigh. "That's right, found at the bottom of the cliff. Well, I didn't wait to see what became of his fiancé; I just wanted to get away from that place. I was questioned, but his death was put down as misadventure. Basically, whilst drunk, he had trundled off the cliff."

Annamaria shook her head, vehemently. "He was killed, I know he was killed! Tobias pushed him."

Molly turned to her, with real shock printed across her face. "Tobias? I have never heard of any Tobias…"

"He married my mother."

"I knew that woman would always land on her feet!" Molly complained, bitterly. "So she had my brother's child, you, and found herself a nice husband to replace my brother. Unfortunately, his place in my heart could no so easy be replaced."

"Tobias never replaced him! She hated him!" Annamaria insisted, angrily. But she wasn't really thinking. At last she knew her father was; Graeme Hunter. And this woman, this large, bitter woman with the lacy red dress, was her aunt.

Molly scowled, she didn't like being interrupted. "And so I came here. I made a place for myself in Tortuga, and bought this tavern with what little money Graeme had left me!"

She turned from the window, her eyes resting on Annamaria's face. "That makes me your aunt." She said, softly.

"I know." Annamaria muttered.

"Where are you staying?"

A tiny glimmer of hope reawakened in Annamaria's troubled heart. Was this woman going to offer her a place to live? "I'm…I have nowhere…"

The woman's face twitched in annoyance. "I expected as much. Well, then, there is a spare room upstairs. You may sleep there for a few nights."

"Thanks!"

"But it is only temporary. One question though, how did you know where to find me? I never mentioned my past to anyone, except Sarah, and she's hardly in a fit state to divulge her boss's secrets."

Annamaria's thoughts went to Jack's letter, how had he known where her family was? "My friend left me a letter…" She began, talking half to herself. Friend? Was Jack a friend?

"Let me see it!" Molly demanded.

"I threw it away." Annamaria said, apologetically.

The woman shook her head angrily, and said something which sounded distinctly like, "children!". She took the young girl back through the bar; Sarah was propped up on one of the wooden tables, a tray in her right hand collecting glasses. Just as they reached the bottom of the stairs, there was a loud crash, and a gentle rumble of disapproving voices.

Molly turned back; Sarah had dropped the tray and several tankards had rumbled across the floor, spilling their half drunken contents.

"It's first door on the left." Molly said, giving Annamaria a push towards the stairs. "I've got to sort out my silly waitress!"

So Annamaria climbed the stairs alone. She pushed open the nearest door and entered a rather shabby room. It wasn't well kept, and what did she expect with just Molly and Sarah working there? There was a washstand in the corner, a chest of draws opposite a grimy window, and a bed with yellowing sheets. But no matter what the room was like, Annamaria was happy to be there. At last she had found her family. If only Molly had taken Harriet with her, Harriet wouldn't have married Tobias; she wouldn't have killed herself, and the thirteen year old could have grown up in the Harrowing Star. For once in her life, she closed her eyes and fell into a dreamless sleep, contented to be herself.


	18. Chapter Eighteen

_A/N Thanks for the reviews, I really appreciate it! I hope you like the next chapter! _

**

* * *

**

**Chapter Eighteen**

The sun struggled to pour through the grime that coated the windows, and therefore, failed to wake the exhausted girl. It was in fact, a timid and very ill looking Sarah who finally shook her awake.

"Yer gotta get up!" The girl insisted.

Finally, with a large yawn, Annamaria opened her eyes. She gasped at the sight of pale face staring down at her. Sarah looked thin, and weary; her eyes were dull, tired and lifeless, her lips cracked and dry. She looked far older then she actually was. It was the drink that had done that to her, it had taken away her spirit.

Annamaria clambered from the lumpy bed, and threw on her clothes. Sarah had already left. Ten minutes later, Annamaria descended the stairs and appeared in the jumble of a bar room. There were tables upturned, broken chairs, spilled drink lining, and staining, the floor. As well as several tankards littered around the room.

"Earn your keep." Molly spat, thrusting a mop into Annamaria's tired hands.

The girl took to the task quickly, it wasn't like cleaning for Charlotte, she didn't mind cleaning for her aunt. And she could understand how difficult it would be to run the pub with only Sarah's help. Annamaria whistled happily to herself as she worked; she'd almost forgiven Jack for leaving her. If he hadn't, she would never have found her family.

A few hours later, Molly returned. The floor had been cleaned, and the tables put back in their upright position, all the tankards had been collected and were lining the bar ready for Sarah to wash them. Molly smiled at the girl as she entered the clean room. It was the first smile Annamaira had seen on her face, unless you counted the sneer at the drunkard she had thrown out the previous night.

"Just like your father, he wasn't afraid o' a bit o' hard work." She told her. "Not like some." She continued with a sniff, whether she was talking about Sarah or Harriet, Annamaria didn't know, nor did she care. She was just about able to let any slur on her mother go, if it was uttered by Molly.

"You must stay out of sight tonight though, I don't want my bar getting that kind of reputation." She said, pointedly.

Annamaria nodded, though she wasn't sure what kind of reputation she would give to the Harrowing Star. "Tell me more about my father!" The girl begged.

Molly shook her head. "He's dead, and I can't stand about here all day talking about the dead! You're never gonna meet him, so what does it matter?" The woman demanded, bluntly.

Annamaria was shocked; she had just seen the woman smiling and had assumed she was in a good mood. Evidently, she had been wrong.

"Just finish up in here, and then get lost for a bit." Molly continued, almost throwing a shilling at the girl. "Buy your self something nice, but don't spend it all at once, you won't be getting many!" she insisted.

Annamaria thanked her for the money, put away the mop, straightened the last of the unbroken chairs, and then scampered from the Harrowing Star. The stables looked much brighter in the daylight. There was a young boy employed to look after the horses. There were only two left now, and he was split between the two of them. He called a greeting as the girl walked past.

"Alright?"

Annamaria nodded, she considered bobbing her head as Tobias had taught her, but it really wasn't the curtsey sort of place. "Fine, thanks. I'm Annamaria."

The boy nodded, dropping the bucket he was holding to feed the horses. "Aye, I heard. Molly's niece, right?"

Annamaria nodded. "That's right."

"Well, if you've come gold diggin' you won't get much!" He told her, stiffly.

"What are you talking about?" Annamaria demanded.

"Miss Molly ain't got much; just a few shillin's that her brother left her." He told her; as he bent down to retrieve the bucket.

Annamaria glared at him. "You misunderstand me; I am certainly not here for her money!" And with that she stalked from the yard, she had no desire to continue this improper conversation with the stable lad. How dare he accuse her of coming here to get money? She felt the shilling in her pocket, guiltily. If Molly didn't have much money, it would be a big strain to feed and clothe another person. She shouldn't have taken the shilling.

But the girl's guilt soon wore off, and she was determined to enjoy the day. She didn't stray far from the Harrowing Star; she didn't want to be lost again. The sun set early in Tortuga, alighting on the cobbled streets, drenched with those who hadn't had the energy to get home the previous night. She dodged the sleeping bodies as she walked down the main street. There were street peddlers selling their wares, kicking awake the drunks and thrusting strange trinkets in their faces. Annamaria was dying to spend her shilling, but a voice in her head told her she could soon be joining these people, sleeping under the stars on a bed of cobbles, and then she would need every shilling she could get. She graciously refused an old woman trying to sell a shell necklace, and fought her way through to the peace of the port.

It was relatively subdued during the day, most of the action took place at night. It was about mid afternoon when she returned to the tavern. The stable boy had disappeared, and the yard was eerily empty. She clambered along the straw covered cobbles and pushed open the front door. She stepped in to the bar area, and stood leaning against one of the support beams, surveying the room. She had done a good job cleaning it, despite living most of her life with servants. Perhaps, this was where she was truly meant to be.

A few moments later her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of voices. Sarah appeared at the bar, joined by the stable boy. The pair had been crouching down behind the bar, whispering together. In her shaking hands Sarah held a collection of shillings, and the money pot lay open next to Arnold, the stable boy.

"Jus' countin'." Sarah said, quickly, when she saw the young girl.

Annamaria nodded to show she believed her. But her eyes narrowed as she watched Sarah carefully replace the money and put the lid back on the money pot. She placed it carefully behind the bar, and stepped out.

"Back so soon?" Arnold sneered.

Annamaria scowled at him. "It had nothing to do with you. What are you even doing in here, and where is Molly?"

"Gone out." Sarah explained, unnecessarily.

"Where?" Annamaria demanded.

"Lost without her?" Arnold sneered.

"I don't need anyone." The girl remarked, angrily.

Arnold turned to Sarah, and gave her a quick kiss. As she pulled away she looked longingly at him. "I'll see you later." He said, firmly. And with a last scathing look at Annamaria he returned to the yard and the two remaining horses. One of the guests was preparing to leave, and he was giving the horse a final feeding before the owner departed.

Annamaria stared questioningly after him, and Sarah shrugged.

"Jus' a bit o' fun, tha's all he is!" She insisted. "Now, excoose me, I got work to do."

Annamaria hung round the bar, playing with a pack of cards the gambling men had left behind. However, it was difficult to play by herself, and with several of the cards missing, it soon became a nightmare. It was times like this when she almost missed Jack; he would have been ready to teach a few new tricks.

Molly had returned for when the bar section of the inn was open; at three. There were only a few customers, many of them regular, who she greeted by name and asked after a particular relative.

"Hey Roger, how's that flighty daughter of yours?" or "Alright, Bill, still having trouble with the old man?" She seemed to adapt to each customer, even changing her voice and the way she stood. She was an actress playing a magnificent role, she was a different person to each punter.

Annamaria watched her for a while from the stairs (she was not allowed in the bar during open hours) but eventually the cold wood became too hard to sit on any longer and she departed up the stirs to her room.

By the time night fell, she could not sleep due to the noise emanating from below the stairs. She turned over in her bed with a groan, and pulled the blanket over her head. It failed to block out the noise, and she suffered from a restless night.


	19. Chapter Nineteen

_A/N - Heres the next chapter. Thanks for all the reviews, I'm glad you are enjoying the story. Feel free to leave a review or send me a PM. Enjoy the chapter..._

**

* * *

**

Chapter Nineteen

And so Annamaria settled into life at the harrowing Star, she endured four months of sleepless nights, morning cleaning and afternoon wandering of Tortuga. She had saved up thirteen shillings from the allowance given to her by Molly, and was happily contemplating what she would do when she had enough money saved up to leave the Harrowing Star. She rarely saw Molly except in the early morning, and then the woman would disappear and not turn up again until opening time at three. Until that time, Sarah would take care of any guests who were spending the night at the inn, supplying breakfast and collecting their bill.

Annamaria had finished mopping the floor, she was much quicker at it now, and didn't even mind tackling the grime that seemed to fall there. It had been a particularly bad night, and to her disgust she found herself mopping up blood. But once that was finished and the chairs and table were stacked neatly, the girl stared longingly out of the clean window at the sunny day beyond. Sarah was in her room with Arnold, and Annamaria had to hold the fort until she got back, this included dealing with the guests.

As she said good day to the last of the guests, Annamaria added the last of the money to the money pot, and slinked out through the door. The yard was empty, and there were no horses in the stables. That was perhaps why Arnold had more time to spend with Sarah.

Annamaria was half way out when she noticed a coat slung over one of the stable doors. The visitor must have left it when they collected their horse. She was sure they'd come back for it. She pulled it down and slung it over her shoulder. Lost property was left in the bar, and if it wasn't collected within the day, then Molly would claim it as her own. Waste not, was her motto.

She double backed and returned to the bar, as she stepped through the door, she heard the hushed voices of Arnold and Sarah and stopped to listen. She knew it was wrong to eavesdrop, Tobias had told her that plenty of times, but Harriet on the other hand told her to get anywhere in life she needed to know what other people were up to. It was much better to listen to a situation and assess it, rather then walking blindly into it.

"That stupid woman stays out all day." She heard Sarah say.

Arnold laughed. "Are you sure she won't notice?"

"Listen, a lot of money has been collected this morning since the overnight guests left, she won't have any idea how much is missing!" Sarah insisted. Her voice had changed, it no longer droned and slurred as it once had done. And she was talking properly, no longer dropping letters with her strong Caribbean accent.

It then occurred to Annamaria that since she had arrived at the Harrowing Star, everyone had been playing a part. Molly was playing the barmaid, when really she was rarely in the pub, Sarah had been playing the worthless drunk, when she was actually quite intelligent and had been playing to rob Molly all along. And as for Arnold, well he had been playing the protector, warning Annamaria against stealing from Molly, when he was plotting with Sarah to do that very thing. Annamaria backed away disgusted. She had seen Jack steal before, the worst being when they were in the church, but nothing was as bad as what she saw before her. Mainly, because Jack didn't steal off those who had helped and trusted him. (Except perhaps, Annamaria).

She sneaked a glance at the pair of them. Sarah had emptied the money pot into her selfish fist and was gloating happily over the contents. "And you know who'll get the blame, don't you?" She demanded, gleefully.

Arnold raised his eyebrows, as he pocketed his share of the money.

"That foolish little urchin that Molly took from the streets. She'll be out of here in no time. She almost caught me the other day, horrible suspicious girl that she is!" Sarah said, quickly.

We'll see about that! Annamaria thought, angrily. She had been thrown out of her home for something she hadn't done once too often, and she wasn't going to let Sarah take this away from her.

As soon as Sarah and Arnold had left, she sneaked up to the pot, and lifted the lid. It was much lighter then this morning, and many of the coins had been taken. She plunged her hand into her pocket and pulled out the vast collection of shillings she had saved since when she had first arrived.

Her fist unclenched and she emptied the coins into the pot. Now, that she was sure Molly wouldn't notice, it was time to sort Sarah and Arnold out. This was war.

The next morning, both Sarah and Arnold were extremely surprised that Annamaria was still there. Sarah looked on the point of cracking, and asking Molly why she hadn't thrown her out. But she kept her tongue, and just looked daggers at the little girl instead. Annamaria smiled sweetly in return, and was as nice as possible to the two of them that morning. She took Arnold out a drink of water (it was a very hot day, and he had a full stable) as well as helping Sarah with the delivery. The pair were bewildered, but did not dare to ask.

This was far from over; Annamaria had not sacrificed her own money to help those who had been plotting against her. They were trying to get her kicked out, well, she was going to go one step further; she was going to get them kicked out.

It was a beautiful day, the sun had arrived early that morning, lighting up on the compulsory chaos that was Tortuga. It lit up the dark doorways where the homeless and drunk had spent the night, bringing warmth to their alcohol filled bodies. The women were no where to be seen, and only a few children paraded the streets, trying to earn a few shillings by offering to help the taverns with shifting the drunks, or aiding with deliveries.

There was a seven year old girl who was trying to sell some flowers. Annamaria felt really sorry for her, after all if she hadn't found the Harrowing Star she could be out on the streets, selling her wares to survive. She desperately wished she had a bit of money left to give the girl, but walked passed her with a smile. The girl did not return it, she was sure there had been a sale there.

It was lunch time when Annamaria returned to the Harrowing Star, she took some bread from the kitchen and made herself a quick lunch, before running up the stairs and knocking powerfully on Sarah's door. There was no answer. Sarah and Arnold had gone out.

Annamaria returned to the bar area, and the first thing she did was check the money pot., there were a few shillings missing but nothing that Molly would take much notice of. She may even have taken it herself. Annamaria took a deep breath before returning to the yard to put her plan into action.

She had never been very good with horses, Tobias had insisted that as a lady she should learn to ride, but after a very disastrous first lesson, he told her to stay away from his horse and his stables or he'd make her sorry she was ever born.

"Jack would be proud of me." She said, softly to herself with a cruel little smile. And with that she approached the stables. Her small hands fumbled with the bolt that had been drawn clumsily across the stable door. She opened the five doors in turn, and the horses fled out. They pranced around the yard, bobbing their heads at the freedom she had granted them. One, however, bolted straight out of the yard and into the cobbled streets, she heard a scream as the horse tore down the cobbles.

"Follow him! Follow him!" She insisted, ushering the other horses towards the streets. "Now we'll see who gets thrown out."


End file.
